Helms Elementary School

503 West 21st Street

School District

Houston Independent
Grade

PK, K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:16
Type

public

School Map for Houston Independent School District

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by parent on February 17, 2025

Best decision we made in parenting was sending out son here. Caring teachers, staff that wants the best for the kids and the community.
Submitted by parent on May 15, 2023

I used to love this school the previous principal was amazing Mrs.Perejon. I've had nothing but disappointing results and action from Mr. Gonzalez. My child has come home crying because a teacher makes her cry I've had went up to the school 3 times hes "never there" to ask to speak with him 3 meetings with assistant principal and teachers 4 phone calls and finally the last time I got a meeting with him to move my child to another class he finally agreed to do so. One week later she was still feeling intimated by her teacher called left a message and once again the assistant principal called me back saying it she would be moved asap school is about to end nothing has changed. This year has been the worst year so if you decide to put your kids here just hope you don't have any issues because they are obviously not about keeping their word or doing anything about it.
Submitted by parent on October 28, 2017

This is our first year at Helms. My son is in Kindergarten. We are zoned to Harvard, but we wanted to give dual language a try. You must enter by Kinder because a new student entering later would be too far behind. We know that his english vocabulary will lag behind for a year or two, but then it will catch up. Studies show that kids being educated in dual language schools test as high as their peers in single language schools and often higher by fifth grade. Being bilingual is one thing, but being biliterate and being able to write and read in a second language is an excellent skill in the professional world. Additionally, being bilingual literally creates additional neuro pathways in the brain! Also, Helms is a smaller school with about 460 students, so it has a close knit community. The principal is very focused on the curriculum, so we are equally happy with their math and science too. It is such a warm environment and we could not be more happy with our little gem of a school. It is the best kept secret in the Heights!
Submitted by parent on August 26, 2016

Helms lacks preparedness and organizational skills. The pick up procedures lack tremendous attention. There are only two school staff outside during dismissal calling car driver names for the huge amount of students being released. The rest are inside just standing around instead of assisting outside. Walkers and car drivers get released at the same gate with the same tag. This is the first time I seen this type of system that anyone is allowed to walk up to the gates to pick up students as long as they have the tag. The system does not differentiate between walkers and car drivers so being there early in the car line is pointless because you will never get your kid unless you get off the car. Beware that they pay attention on releasing students who are walkers while car riders stand their for the next available staff to walk them to their cars because the staff is all over the place releasing walkers. They do not call car drivers names in order either. Parents violate pick up and traffic signs but no school staff is out there telling them not to. If they do see them they do not address these parents that they are violating school procedures. Parents cross the streets with their children to walk across the street to their vehicles were they are not allowed to park in the first place. The parents that do follow pick up procedures are force to pick up their kids in the middle of the street because they are being blocked by parents leaving their cars to walk up to the gates to pick up their children. This is a huge safety issue for all of the children and parents. If Helms pick up procedures are horrible, unsafe, and unorganized I can only imagine the attention and importance they give to our children in their every day experience here. I do not recommend the school because Helms students safety is not their top priority. A school must be prepare, organized and be involved in every aspect to ensure that our children are safe and parents feel good walking away to leave their children at their hands. The new principal is never outside during dismissal but yet responds that she will ensure that safety is top priority. How will she ensure safety and implement dismissal procedures when she is not outside during dismissal but always inside during the times that she needs to pay attention of the issues needing improvement.
Submitted by other on July 13, 2016

We decided to give Helms a try because the idea of a truly bilingual education really appealed to my husband and me. We have been thoroughly impressed by the administration, teachers, and other families we've met over the last year. The building isn't the newest, shiniest around, but the love, attention, and quality education that each and every child receives more than makes up for it.
Submitted by parent on December 08, 2015

Helms is one of the smaller schools in at the area. My daughter attends the Spanish emersion program. We speak absolutely no Spanish at home, but that has not been an issue. The new principle is great. Helms has a very loving and caring atmosphere. All the teachers and admins know the kids names. My daughter has learned so much since she started! I think the homework is a bit much at times.
Submitted by other on November 22, 2015

Our son has been at this school since Kinder and he loves it there. The teachers he has had, have been great to work with and they really supported our son considering our family is not a Spanish speaking family. We could not ask for anymore than that and are very grateful for our son's sake. This year our second son started PK and seems to be adjusting to the dual language program as well as our older son did when he first started the program.
Submitted by parent on October 24, 2015

We have been at Helms since 2009, and could not be more enthusiastic about the immersive dual-language program, or more excited about Mr. Baker and his extraordinary staff. The new ancillary programming connects abstract information to real-word situations, and the language skills acquired by these students allows them to move through that real world with broader perspectives and deeper understanding of people, places, and context. Both my Helms students had no problems guiding us through interior Mexico last summer, and just last week my second grader told me about issues currently being discussed between the presidents of Chile and Bolivia. It's thrilling! Helms is a gem, and an immersive dual-language environment is truly amazing.
Submitted by parent on October 22, 2015

We chose this school principally for the Spanish and its proximity to our home, making it walkable/bikeable which are both very important to us. We were aware of the "need improvement" ratings which we chose to ignore, and the new and exceptional principal, which sounded positive.My daughter loves school, her teacher (from Spain) is amazing, the principal is so approachable and switched on (he does the drop off lane every morning and greets students by name, he even regularly does lunch duty in the cafeteria), the teachers are happy and dedicated. There is an engaged PTA and a new world culture ancillary program. Yes, world culture, what a bonus! It's amazing to see them learning about other cultures and countries.So any lingering doubts that I had about the school were completely blown out of the water by the Hispanic heritage celebration at Helms 8 weeks into the school year. It was AMAZING. There was so much pride in being Hispanic, so much learning about different countries and cultures demonstrated and so much Spanish. (As an aside, my daughter is speaking in full paragraphs and conversations to us already). I saw so much effort and pride on display, and it was beautiful and authentic. I was surrounded by such a diverse mix of ethnicities and families all dedicated to their kids and encouraging this celebration of Hispanic culture, in Spanish! I felt proud to be raising a child who is half Hispanic and who has the chance to go to a school that has a dedicated program to learning about and honouring that. It was beautiful.
Submitted by parent on February 20, 2014

This school is a study in potential. It has a more nurturing environment than other elementary schools that attracted me initially. They have a good amount of highly educated and prepared teachers. What is lacking is organization. Parents are not communicated with in a timely fashion. HISD keeps adding to the burdens of everyday administration taking focus away from providing the best education and teacher coalition. The students though do come home speaking, reading, and writing in two languages at a young age while still finding time for math and science, so the program I have a lot of faith in. Other HISD elementary schools in our area seem to be able to present a more communicative, peaceful environment and don't see to be playing "catch up" constantly.