Southern Columbia Area School District

Students in the Personal Finance and Accounting classes participated in the Personal Budgeting Challenge sponsored by First Keystone Community Bank. The activity challenged students to apply real‑world budgeting and financial decision‑making skills. In Accounting, Levi Everitt earned a 4th‑place finish, while Colton Starkoski placed 1st in the Personal Finance class. 💰

The final marking period is here, and time is running out. Fewer than 25 yearbooks remain available for purchase for each school.

📚 This is the last chance to secure a copy on a first come, first served basis.

Links to purchase for each school are below:

🔗Elementary:
https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/productBrowse/1144189/G-C-Hartman-Elementary-School/2026-Yearbook/2025073104413031754/CATALOG_SHOP

🔗Middle School: https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/productBrowse/1756583/Southern-Columbia-Middle-School/2026-Yearbook/2025073104230103054/CATALOG_SHOP

🔗High School: https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/productBrowse/1045481/SOUTHERN-COLUMBIA-AREA-HIGH-SCHOOL/2026-Yearbook/2025073104315805054/CATALOG_SHOP

Celebrate the creativity of our K–6 students at the Art Show on May 6 at 5:30 PM. Join us to admire their amazing work. See the flyer for more details! 🎨

This morning, the Adventure Sports class welcomed Shane Casey, a 2017 SCA graduate, who returned to speak with students about the upcoming trout season. Shane shared valuable information on safety, wildlife management, and effective fishing techniques, with a focus on applying those skills to the freshly stocked stream on campus. As a strong supporter of giving back, Shane spoke about the role the school played in developing him into the professional he is today. Students were excited to connect with an alumnus who knows the local area and could help enhance both their fishing skills and overall knowledge of the sport. 🎣

Another year, another collaborative project completed by the HS Art Club to help beautify our hallways. For this piece, a single image was divided into 25 squares, with each member responsible for completing one square using their medium of choice. The finished artwork reflects strong teamwork and creativity and is now displayed outside the band room entrance. What should they do next year? 🎨

Last week, Mrs. Traugh’s class enjoyed a trip to the Bloomsburg Children’s Museum. Students had a wonderful time exploring the exhibits and participating in a variety of interactive activities.

Students in Ms. Charlton's Anatomy class explored lung function yesterday by measuring their own lung capacity with balloons. They compared tidal capacity, the air we normally breathe in and out, to vital capacity, the maximum amount our lungs can hold. This was hands‑on anatomy at its best! 🫁

🥣From Lesson to Ladle! 🥣

Students in Cooking on Your Own 2 have been learning the principles behind making soups, stews, and sauces. They put their skills to the test by preparing chicken noodle and broccoli cheddar soup. Soup‑erb work!

Each year, the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit (CSIU) allows two student artworks from our school district to be submitted for inclusion in its Student Art Repository, showcased at the central office in Montandon.

We are proud to announce that Sadie Boucher and Alasia Gaines were selected as this year’s winners! They will be honored at a reception in May and will each receive a monetary award.

Congratulations to Sadie and Alasia! 🎨

Huge congratulations to the SCA Encore program on their incredible production of Sister Act! With 2 out of 3 nights sold out, it’s safe to say the show had everyone saying “hallelujah!” 🎭🎬

Contributor: Karlene Wiehe, Journalism Staff Member

We are excited to spotlight Grace Dawe in our newest edition of Student Teacher Feature. Miss Dawe has been working with our 7th grade team alongside Mrs. Leighow, bringing positive energy and a strong commitment to helping students grow. She is already making a great impact in the classroom, and we are so happy to have her here working with us.

Be sure to check out the graphic to learn more about Grace and her experience at SCA. 🍎

⭐6th Grade Students of the Month⭐

Congratulations to our outstanding 6th grade Students of the Month! These students have shown dedication, effort, and a positive attitude in their classes.

• ELA (Mrs. Powell): Mollie Dermes
• Math (Mr. Fegley): Grayson Tobias
• Science (Mr. Kaseman): Douglas Taylor
• Social Studies (Mr. Visnosky): Aubree Kauffman

We are proud of you! Keep shining, Tigers! 🐯✨

Four middle school student teams competed in Bloomsburg University's annual Husky Dog Pound. Students developed entrepreneurial ideas and pitched them to judges. These students put hours of work into generating logical products, creating posters, and practicing their presentations. 

Our CSO STEM Officer, Declan McGinley, successfully completed his action plan by bringing science to life with our 6th grade students through homemade ice cream! Students explored key scientific concepts like states of matter, heat transfer, and freezing point depression while creating a delicious treat.

This hands-on experience not only made learning fun, but helped students truly understand the “why” behind the process. Moments like these inspire curiosity, critical thinking, and a love for STEM. 🍨

Attention parents/guardians of athletes entering grades 7–12 for the 2026–2027 school year:
FREE sports physicals will be offered May 26, 2026, from 2:00–6:00 PM in the Old Gym at school.
Please read this entire message before signing up.
📌 Scheduling Information
6th & 7th Graders (Future 7th & 8th Grade Students)
These students may schedule physicals between 2:00–3:00 PM, during the last hour of the school day.
However: Students who ride the bus will miss the bus if scheduled during this time.
If you schedule between 2–3 PM, you MUST be able to pick your child up after school.
If you cannot guarantee transportation, please choose a time after 3:00 PM so your child is not left unsupervised.
8th–11th Graders (Future 9th–12th Grade Students)
Not permitted to schedule appointments between 2:00–3:00 PM.
Any appointment made during this time will be canceled.
These students may schedule anytime from 3:00–5:45 PM.
Families with Multiple Athletes
Please schedule appointments close together after 3:00 PM.
💲 Pay‑to‑Participate (PTP) Option
Families may submit Pay‑to‑Participate payment at the time of the physical, but it is NOT required to receive a physical.
Physicals remain completely free.
Paying onsite simply makes it easier to avoid limited summer office hours.
A receipt will be provided for any payment submitted on May 26.
SCASD is not responsible for money sent with students prior to their appointment time—please do not send cash early.
The PTP form will now be an additional form on Healthy Roster.
📄 Required Forms on Healthy Roster
All PIAA and Geisinger forms must be completed in Healthy Roster before the student can receive a physical.
No student will be permitted to complete a physical without all forms finished.
Important Date:
2026–2027 forms cannot be completed until AFTER May 1, 2026.
(This is a PIAA rule.)
Forms will reset on May 1, and must be completed between May 1–May 25.
You may sign up for a physical appointment now, but forms must be completed after May 1.
🏥 If Your Child Has a Doctor’s Physical Scheduled
If your child has a well‑visit/annual physical between May 1–August 1, please do not sign up for a school physical.
Your doctor can complete the PIAA Section 6 form during that visit, and you can upload it to Healthy Roster.
Please avoid taking a school appointment slot if your child already has a physical scheduled elsewhere.
School-offered PIAA sports physicals do not replace:
annual well‑child visits, or
physicals required to obtain a driver’s permit.
🖥️ New Athletes: Access to Healthy Roster
First-time SCA athletes must have a Healthy Roster account.
This secure platform is used by Geisinger Athletic Trainers for:
PIAA paperwork
injury documentation
To obtain access to your child’s profile, email Athletic Trainer Alexcis Hower:
📧 ahower@scasd.us

Sign up link:
https://outlook.office.com/book/Gf2d05377b02f441ab46bea00dfa5cf01@scasd.us/

Last week, students in Mr. Johnson’s Introduction to Foreign Language and Culture 1 classes visited Mrs. Troutman’s classroom. She shared stories from her younger years living in Kenya while volunteering with the Peace Corps. As she told her stories, she began teaching the students about the Swahili language, which connected directly to the cultural exploration they have been doing in Introduction to Foreign Language and Culture 1. She introduced them to basic greetings and farewells in Swahili, as well as several numbers, and had the students practice using them with one another.

Mrs. Troutman also described foods and drinks that were common in the Kenyan community where she lived and explained what people there typically enjoyed eating and drinking. To make the experience more immersive for the Introduction to Foreign Language and Culture 1 students, she brought in authentic items from Kenya, including money, pieces of clothing, necklaces, and other objects she had saved from her time abroad. As the students passed the items around and listened to her stories, they were able to picture what everyday life was like in the place Mrs. Troutman once called home.

Contributor: Maddison Yost, Print/Digital Media Intern

Good afternoon. Due to students practicing bus evacuations, buses may run five minutes late today, Tuesday, March 24. Thank you.

On Friday, the Class of 2027 hosted Southern Columbia’s 2nd annual Kindergarten Prom, creating a fun experience for the district’s youngest students. Organized by junior class advisors along with several dedicated juniors, the event was designed to bring kindergarteners together to interact, build friendships, and practice social skills outside of the classroom. The prom featured a variety of activities to keep the children engaged, including flowers, coloring stations, face painting, snacks, drinks, and exciting raffle baskets. This event created lasting memories for both the young students and the high school volunteers.

Contributor: Abigail Apichell, Journalism Staff Member