High School

Hi SCASD!
The Student Support Team is selling T-Shirts for Suicide Prevention Month. 
T-Shirts are $15 each. 
The sale closes on Monday, September 1st.
We will be wearing the shirts on Tuesday, September 30th. 
You have the option to have your order shipped directly to your home for a small fee OR in bulk for free where we will sort them out.

Order here: https://www.customink.com/fundraising/scasd

The Southern Columbia High School Band made a powerful debut at Friday’s pep rally and football game, setting the tone for an incredible season ahead. Let’s keep the momentum going; come out and support these talented students at every performance. They’re just getting started! 🎺🥁🎷

Mr. Leslie’s algebra classes spent time this first week learning about Ted Lasso and his philosophy to “Believe.” Students brainstormed to identify things we need to do to be successful—not just in algebra class, but in our lives. Some of those ideas included: “Be determined to succeed,” “I will ask for help when I need it,” “I will help others with anything they need,” and “Believe in yourself.” Each student had the opportunity to sign the “Committed to ‘Believe’” board, which will remain at the front of Mr. Leslie’s classroom all year as a reminder of their commitment to believe in “Believe.”

📣 Welcome Back, Students and Families!
We’re excited to begin a new school year!
🗓️ The first day of school is Monday, August 18th.
To ensure you receive all important updates and communications, parents and guardians should visit their Sapphire Parent Portal to review and update contact information as needed.
Stay tuned for more announcements as we get closer to the start of school!

SCA Families

If your child requires any prescription medication for the 25-26 school year, please be sure to have an updated Medication Order and Action Plan (if applicable) from your child's doctor. All medication must be brought to the school in the original prescription bottle with a medication order by a parent/guardian. Drop off times are as follows:

Monday, August 11th 5:30-7:00pm in the HS Office for K-12
Wednesday, August 13th 12-3pm Elementary & HS Office
Thursday, August 14th 9am-3pm Elementary & HS Office

Students' 5th- 12th grade are able to self-carry their inhalers and/or Epi-pens if approved by parent and doctor. Please submit a medication order stating they are self-carry. If --you would like to have your child's medication order faxed to the school the Elementary fax # is 570-356-7169 and the HS fax # is 570-356-2835. Thank you!

Alexis Spade
School Certified Nurse

📚✨ Literary Exploration Meets Creative Expression✨ To conclude an enriching year, students in Mr. Mensch’s 9th Grade Honors English classes completed a culminating project that allowed them to demonstrate their understanding of literature through creative, student-driven formats. Drawing from works by Shakespeare, Orwell, Steinbeck, Poe, Bradbury, and more, students brought texts to life through video reenactments, hand-painted ceiling tiles, original artwork, and even wood engravings crafted with woodshop skills. This project not only highlighted their analytical and interpretive abilities, but also celebrated their individuality, creativity, and personal connections to the literature studied throughout the year. This project served as an inspiring showcase of what it means to be a thoughtful reader and a creative thinker. 🎭🖌️📖

Southern Columbia Area High School will be offering Summer School options for students this year. Information and a registration form were emailed to your student today. Forms are also available in the Guidance Office and the High School Office. Summer school will run from June 9–26, with registration and payment due by June 4. If you anticipate that your student will need summer school, please complete a pre-approval form and return it with payment to the High School Office by June 4.

High School yearbooks will be distributed at B and C lunches on Friday, May 23rd!

‼️ATTENTION SENIORS‼️ See the attached graphic for information regarding Senior Sunset! ☀️🎓

📢 End-of-Year Technology Return Reminder 📢 Dear Parents & Guardians, as we approach the end of the school year, we’d like to remind you that all school-issued technology equipment — including laptops, chargers, and cases — must be returned by May 30th. 🔹 Grades 1–8: Students will return their devices to their homeroom teachers when instructed. 🔹 Grades 9–12: Students must return their devices directly to the Technology Office (Room 103 in the High School). If a student has completed all coursework requiring a laptop, they may return their equipment at any time. 📌 Important Notes: Once a laptop is turned in, it will not be returned. All equipment must be returned in working condition. Fees will apply for any damaged or missing items. 💻 For a list of potential fees, please check the Sapphire Parent Portal under the File Cabinet section, located in the 24-25 First Day Parent Forms. Thank you for helping us wrap up the school year smoothly!

On Friday, Mr. Lindenmuth welcomed a guest speaker to his Contemporary Issues class to discuss the coal industry in the Anthracite region and explain how surface mining operations work. Dale Lindenmuth, former Superintendent at Blaschak Coal, spoke to the class about the uses of anthracite coal and the fundamental processes involved in mining it locally. With over 30 years of experience in the coal mining industry, Mr. Lindenmuth provided students with a unique and insightful perspective on how coal mining positively impacts the economy. As a token of appreciation, students received gifts including a piece of actual anthracite coal, Blaschak-branded earplugs, and a Blaschak coal stress ball/toy.

Kate Brecht, Isabella Miller, Ryan Maciejewski, and Declan McGinley completed their first year in the Chief Science Officer STEM Program this past week. Each member spent the year promoting STEM awareness by organizing a STEM Day for elementary students and attending various workshops that introduced them to STEM-based careers. Declan McGinley received the Most Outstanding Chief Science Officer Award. This award is presented to the officer who goes above and beyond their regular duties and responsibilities—both in planning and presenting their action plan and in their engagement during workshops throughout the school year. Declan was the sole recipient of this award, selected from approximately 50 students representing several schools across the CSIU and BLAST IU regions.

📢 End-of-Year Technology Return Reminder 📢 Dear Parents & Guardians, As we approach the end of the school year, we’d like to remind you that all school-issued technology equipment — including laptops, chargers, and cases — must be returned by May 30th. 🔹 Grades 1–8: Students will return their devices to their homeroom teachers when instructed. 🔹 Grades 9–12: Students must return their devices directly to the Technology Office (Room 103 in the High School). If a student has completed all coursework requiring a laptop, they may return their equipment at any time. 📌 Important Notes: Once a laptop is turned in, it will not be returned. All equipment must be returned in working condition. Fees will apply for any damaged or missing items. 💻 For a list of potential fees, please check the Sapphire Parent Portal under the File Cabinet section, located in the 24-25 First Day Parent Forms. Thank you for helping us wrap up the school year smoothly!

🎨 Thank you to the SCA community for showing support for the arts last week at the HS Art Show. 🖼️ If you missed the show, please enjoy the snapshots of the exhibit. We have such talented students! Your support inspires creativity and makes a lasting impact—thank you!

🌿💧 Bringing the Courtyard Pond Back to Life! 💧🌿 Our Agricultural Science students rolled up their sleeves and got to work restoring the courtyard pond—and their efforts paid off! With the guidance of Mr. Rich Yoder, students drained, cleaned, and refilled the pond, adding fresh water and vibrant plants to breathe new life into this peaceful outdoor space. Their hard work not only beautified the courtyard but also created a hands-on learning experience in environmental care and aquatic ecosystems. Great job, team! 👏🐟🌱 Contributor: Karleigh Sommers, Journalism Staff Member

🌾🐄 Farm Day Fun at Southern! 🐖🌱 The Agricultural Department recently hosted an exciting Farm Day for students in grades K–8, and it was a huge hit! The event featured a variety of engaging, hands-on stations where students could: -Get creative with face painting -Test their strength in a bale throwing competition -Meet and interact with farm animals -Explore the inside of a real combine harvester -Plant seeds and learn about crop growth -And enjoy many other agriculture-themed activities! It was a fantastic day of learning, laughter, and discovery—bringing the world of agriculture to life for our youngest learners. 🌻🚜 Contributor: Karleigh Sommers, Journalism Staff Member

🎶 It was a music-filled week at Southern, and what a celebration of talent it was! 🎶 The week kicked off on Tuesday with the Middle School Spring Concert, where our amazing 5th–8th graders took the stage. Their performances were full of energy and heart—they did a fantastic job, and we couldn’t be prouder! On Wednesday, it was the High School’s turn to shine. The band rocked the house, and the choir delivered a phenomenal performance that left the audience in awe. Friday evening brought our cherished tradition—the Senior High Banquet. It was a night of recognition and celebration, as seniors were honored with awards for band and choral excellence and received their senior gifts in a heartfelt ceremony. Finally, Friday, our talented ENCORE students attended the Ray of Light Awards, which spotlight excellence in high school theatre. What an inspiring way to wrap up the week! 🎭🎵 Mr. and Mrs. McWilliams are incredibly proud of all the hard work, dedication, and passion their students have shown. Amazing job to everyone involved—you made this week unforgettable!

Lunch Menu Change for Monday, May 12, 2025: HS/MS Lunch will be French Toast and NOT French Toast Sticks. Students will still receive the required portion size, however the form of the French Toast will be slightly different. Thank you!

Dear Parents/Guardians, We hope you are doing well. We want to bring to your attention a concerning trend circulating on TikTok that is negatively impacting school-issued student laptops and Chromebooks. Some students have been inserting objects—such as pencils, paper clips, and push pins—into the charging ports of their devices. This reckless behavior can cause electrical short circuits, device malfunctions, and even fires. Schools in different states have already reported incidents where classrooms had to be evacuated due to smoke and fire hazards caused by this dangerous trend. Beyond the serious safety risks, this behavior is also leading to costly damage to school-owned devices, which students and families may be held financially responsible for. We kindly ask you to speak with your child about this trend and reinforce the importance of treating their school-issued technology with care and responsibility. Please encourage them to avoid participating in harmful online challenges and to report any concerning behavior to a trusted adult. This is a no tolerance situation and potentially carries a minimum 3 days of out of school suspension along with referral to police for institutional vandalism. Thank you for your cooperation in helping keep our students and school environment safe. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out.