Helen R Donaghue School

As a cozy K-5 school in Merrimac, Massachusetts, Helen R Donaghue School educates 262 students from grades 3 through 6, part of Pentucket. That puts it 31% below the typical public school in Massachusetts, which averages around 381 students.

Helen R Donaghue School is one of 6 schools operated by Pentucket, a district that enrolls 2,238 students overall.

On demographics, Helen R Donaghue School shows that the student body is overwhelmingly White (88%); the rest breaks down as 9% Hispanic, 2% multiracial. That is noticeably more White than the county at large, where the share is closer to 68%.

On the resource side, On paper, Helen R Donaghue School has 23 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 11.2:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 12.2:1, putting Helen R Donaghue School tighter than the state norm the norm.

In the broader community, community-level numbers for Essex County indicate the typical household earns roughly $101,883 per year, roughly 43% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 7%. Across Essex County's 221 public schools (combined enrollment of about 113,427 students), Helen R Donaghue School is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is Dr Frederick N Sweetsir, roughly 1.0 miles away. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Helen R Donaghue School.

The campus sits in a suburban setting.

Five-year trend. Over the past 7-year window, the student count increased 9%: 241 students in 2018 compared to 262 in 2025.

Within the allk12 community for this school, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. The community welcomes input from current and former families.