Jim Darcy School

Located at 990 Lincoln Road West, in Helena, Montana, Jim Darcy School is a substantial elementary campus that teaches 473 students (grades pre-K through 5), overseen by Helena Elem. By comparison, Montana's public schools average about 167 students each, so Jim Darcy School sits 183% bigger than that benchmark.

Helena Elem runs 15 schools in total, collectively educating 5,100 students. Jim Darcy School is one of those campuses.

On demographics, Jim Darcy School lists that nearly all students (89%) are White. Beyond that, the school records 7% Hispanic. Compared to Lewis and Clark County overall, the school's racial mix sits in roughly the same range.

Looking at school resources, Staff filings list 25 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 18.8:1 students per teacher. That figure is higher than the state norm's 11.9:1 average. Roughly 19% of students at Jim Darcy School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. Set against Lewis and Clark County (around 38%), the school's rate is meaningfully below typical.

In the broader community, ACS estimates for Lewis and Clark County put median household earnings sit near $78,237, 43% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 3%. Jim Darcy School is one of 36 public schools in Lewis and Clark County (combined enrollment of about 9,786 students).

Rossiter School is the nearest neighboring public school, about 3.1 miles from this campus. Within ten miles, there are 8 other public schools, a sparser pattern than typical urban areas.

The campus sits in an outer-ring setting.

Over the past 7-year window. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Jim Darcy School has ticked up 11%, going from 425 students in 2018 to 473 in 2025. Class-load math has widened: from 17.8:1 in 2018 to 18.8:1 in 2025.

Inside the community feed, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.