Middle School

Menu Change for 10-9-2026: At Southern Columbia Middle School and High School, lunch today will be Stuffed Crust Pizza.

Our students had an amazing two days participating in the CSO STEM Leadership Training Institute at the CSIU. They explored STEM, developed leadership skills, collaborated with others, and gained valuable experiences they can bring back to our school community. We’re proud of their hard work and enthusiasm!

Together, we can make a difference!

With the growing needs we are seeing among our students, we are working to expand our successful Tiger Care Closet program from the elementary school to the middle school and are seeking gently used clothing, non-perishable food items, hygiene products, snack donations, and more to help make this possible. Items can be dropped off at the middle school office.

Thank you for your kindness and generosity! 🖤💛

Southern Columbia is proud to recognize the following 6th Grade students as September Students of the Month.

Pictured from left to right are Dustin Searfoss (Science), Mallory Funkhouser (ELA), Paisley Major (Math), and Beckett Pesarchick (Social Studies).

Congratulations to these students on this well-deserved recognition!

The 7th Grade Team showed their Tiger Pride during Homecoming Spirit Week last week! 🐯🖤💛

Congratulations to the 7th Grade SOCO Stars of September!

ELA: Cole Spotts
Math: Forest Ziegert
Science: Rhylin Faus
Geography: Anthony Lengyl

Keep up the great work! ⭐

CHANGE WARS FUNDRAISER

Each year, the Southern Columbia High School Student Council hosts its Change Wars Fundraiser to support a local family in need. This year, we are honored to support the Harmon Family. Malania Harmon, a 9th-grade student at Southern Columbia, was recently diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma and is currently receiving treatment at Janet Weis Children’s Hospital in Danville. Her parents, Ashley and Drew, are both employees of the Southern Columbia Area School District.

HOW IT WORKS:

The competition is open to all homerooms in grades K–12. From now through October 23, homerooms are encouraged to collect and bring in spare change to support the Harmon Family. The homeroom in each building that collects the most change will earn a prize! Every coin counts, and together, our Southern Columbia community can make a difference for the Harmon Family.

Mr. Snyder, SCA employee and owner of the Squeeze-In and Sunbury Sub Shop, spoke with FBLA members and business-minded middle school students on Wednesday. He discussed SMART goals, risks in business, and key elements to consider when starting a business. His interactive presentation allowed students to answer and ask questions to receive prizes.

On Wednesday's no-tech day, fifth graders played UNO in Mrs. Borys' World Language and Cultures class. Through the game, they learned that families may play using different rules, just as cultures around the world have different traditions, holidays, and foods.

Did you know that your student has access to Smart Futures, a career exploration and planning program available through ClassLink for SCA students K-12? Smart Futures helps students discover career interests, explore education and training pathways, and build skills for future success. We encourage you and your student to review this fantastic resource as a family!

Yesterday, Southern Columbia took a break from the internet for "Disconnect to Reconnect: A Day of Unplugged Learning."

Students spent the day working together, reading, solving problems, and taking part in hands-on activities without relying on technology. It was a great chance to slow down, connect with classmates and teachers, and see that learning can happen in plenty of ways beyond a screen.

Contributor: Destiny Deeter, Print/Digital Media Intern

Buddy's Restaurant was kind enough to host and donate a team dinner for our Junior High Football team and coaches on Wednesday, September 23. We cannot thank Buddy and his amazing staff enough for providing this opportunity for our young men and coaches to bond and grow together as a team.

We are especially proud of this group for the kindness and respect they displayed throughout the evening. Each player personally thanked Buddy and his staff, shaking their hands and expressing sincere gratitude for their generosity.

We are very proud of our Tigers! 🐾💛🖤

As we continue our annual Student Teacher Feature series, we're excited to introduce our second featured student educator, Jocelyn Parker! Jocelyn is gaining valuable classroom experience while working with Mrs. Petro in the Southern Columbia Middle School. Learn more about Jocelyn, her educational journey, and her goals for the future in the graphic below.

On September 18th, students from Mr. Lindenmuth’s Contemporary Issues class presented to 7th graders in Mr. Williams's class. Students were tasked with researching three political parties. They then created their own campaigns based on the information they collected.

Following their presentations, students participated in an election to determine the winning campaign. The American First Party, led by Grayson Reck, won the election.

Contributors: Karley McHale and Hope Hopper, Journalism Staff Members

Twenty-one middle school students had the opportunity today to participate in a behind-the-scenes tour of Knoebels Amusement Resort. Students heard from professionals in accounting, human resources, and public relations, as well as members of the Knoebels family. They also explored retired rides and historical artifacts from the park.

Thank you to Knoebels for providing this unique and educational experience!

Students in the Career Development Program completed work-related tasks today.

The PAWsitive Leaders 🐾are holding a clothing sale with some simple items to show your school pride! Please see the attached flyer for available items and ordering information or use the link below to place your order.

All orders and payment (CASH) are due in a labeled envelope to the Elementary, Middle, or High School Office by Wednesday, September 30.

Order here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/pADd28JZBW

As part of Southern Columbia’s commitment to expanding curriculum opportunities and providing students with engaging, hands-on learning experiences, nine staff members recently completed the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) Basic Archery Instructor Certification Course. This training will support integrating archery into the district’s curriculum through physical education, outdoor adventure courses, and select CTE experiences, while also creating opportunities for student participation in extracurricular clubs.

As student interest grows, the district hopes to develop competitive archery opportunities that will allow students to participate in regional and state NASP competitions while building focus, discipline, confidence, and sportsmanship.

There will be a menu change today, September 14, for SCA HS/MS. We will serve Detroit Style Pizza today. On Friday, we will serve Chicken Quesadilla. All appropriate accompanying sides will be served. Our apologies for the abrupt change of menu. Thank you!