
Who: Middle School and High School Students and Staff🍂
What: Thanksgiving Spirit Days 🦃
When: Next week!🥧
Please see the attached flyer for more details.


We head back over to the Middle School for our next edition of "Together We’re Tigers."
Standing (Left to Right):
Mike Venna: 5th Grade Math Teacher with 23.5 years at SCA
Mike Keefer: Middle School Principal with 16 years in education and he's in his 1st year at SCA
Robert Visnosky: 6th Grade ELA and Social Studies Teacher with 23 years in education and 21 years at SCA
Seated (Left to Right):
Janelle Burcicki: 7th Grade ELA Teacher with 14 years in education and 9 years at SCA
Danelle Klebon: 7th Grade Learning Support Teacher with 24 years in education and 11 years at SCA


We head back over to the Middle School for our next edition of "Together We’re Tigers."
Standing (Left to Right):
Mike Venna: 5th Grade Math Teacher with 23.5 years at SCA
Mike Keefer: Middle School Principal with 16 years in education and he's in his 1st year at SCA
Robert Visnosky: 6th Grade ELA and Social Studies Teacher with 23 years in education and 21 years at SCA
Seated (Left to Right):
Janelle Burcicki: 7th Grade ELA Teacher with 14 years in education and 9 years at SCA
Danelle Klebon: 7th Grade Learning Support Teacher with 24 years in education and 11 years at SCA

7th Grade Science students wrapped up a unit of learning about cells by examining some of their very own cheek cells under a microscope!





7th Grade Science students wrapped up a unit of learning about cells by examining some of their very own cheek cells under a microscope!





Here are some photos of 6th Grade Halloween fun from last week! 🎃








Reading is Sweet in 6th grade! Students who earned 25 AR points in the 1st marking period were treated with a donuts and & hot chocolate provided by Dunkin and SMART!






We invite all local business and industry leaders, parents, educators, and community members to attend the upcoming Local Advisory Committee meeting for Career and Technical Education (CTE) at Southern Columbia Area High School on Monday, November 20, 2023, at 6:45 PM in the Southern Columbia Area High School Library, located at 812 Southern Drive, Catawissa, PA. Your involvement and input are crucial in shaping the future of CTE programs in our district.
Agenda Highlights:
-Review of current CTE programs and their impact
-Updates on program growth and development
-Opportunities for community partnerships
-Program Expansion
-Open Discussion
Why Attend? Participating in this committee meeting provides a platform to:
-Influence the direction of CTE in our school district
-Learn about the latest developments in CTE education
-Share your valuable insights and perspectives
Your engagement is vital in ensuring that our CTE programs continue to meet the needs of our students and align with industry standards.


Here is our next edition of "Together We’re Tigers"!
Standing (Left to Right)
Dave Fegley: 6th Grade Math Teacher with 10 years at SCA
Jena Nestico: Middle School Learning Support Teacher with 14 years in education and 11 years at SCA
Tiffany Bloom: 6th grade ELA Teacher with 19 years in education and 14 years at SCA
Cheryl Gipple: ACCESS Secretary with 20 years at SCA
Julia Frey: Learning Support Teacher with 17 years in education and this is her 1st year at SCA
Connor Fulmer: Middle School Emotional Support in his 1st year at SCA
Seated (Left to Right)
Connie Lupold: Fifth Grade Science and Math Teacher with 31 years in education and 22 years at SCA
Tammy Toczylousky: Middle School Teacher with 34 years in education and 28 years at SCA
Gwen Yost: Paraprofessional with 2 years working at SCA
Michele Petro: 8th Grade Learning Support with 30 plus years working at SCA


Fifth Grade has had a week filled with learning and fun. Good behavior was recently celebrated with a lively game of rock paper scissors in the gym. Fifth Grade Science students were also introduced to the scientific method this week through the use of a pendulum experiment.



The following students were chosen by Fifth Grade Staff at Southern Columbia Middle School as October SoCo Stars of the Month. These students were chosen because they have displayed self-control, tolerance, academic integrity, and resilience within the school setting. Congratulations to each student and their families!
October 2023: Britton Gum and Marlowe Schock


Friday was a music-filled night here in Tiger Nation! The Music Department had so many things to celebrate on Friday at the football game. First, we celebrated our three Seniors: Sophia Boucher, Ethan Rush, and Patrick Lobos. We then had the combined 5-12th Grade Choir and Alumni Choir, made up of 85 people, singing the National Anthem. Finally, we had a loud and proud alumni band night. We even had guest conductors helping our drum major, Saira Sodergren! We all had a blast. Thank you to everyone who came out.




Students who earned the 1st Marking Period celebration got the opportunity to participate in the “6th Grade 2023 Kickball Classic.” There were four teams that competed. In the end, it was Team Observation coming out with the championship over Team Metaphor. Team Fraction defeated Team Safety in the Third Place game. Pictured are the members of the championship team that won the title game by a close margin of 9-8. Congrats to Team Observation!


Over the next couple of months, we will be posting a feature called "Together We’re Tigers" in an effort to celebrate our wonderful faculty and staff. We are very fortunate to have these hard-working individuals serving our community. Here is our first group:
Back Row (Left to Right)
Becky Blass: Paraprofessional with 23 years at SCA.
Janae Semian: Elementary Admin Assistant with 5 years at SCA.
Paula Wittenrich: Paraprofessional with 25 years at SCA.
Front Row (Left to Right)
Lindy Gaul: 1st Grade Teacher with 12 years in education and 7 years at SCA.
Stacey Hockenbroch: 1st Grade Teacher with 17 years in education and 8 years at SCA.
Abbie Ziegert: 2nd Grade Teacher with 16 years in education and 3 years at SCA.
Shelley Pfirman: 3rd Grade Teacher with 30 years in education and 25 years at SCA.


On Thursday evening, the Southern Columbia High School Student Council sponsored the 4th annual Trunk or Treat. Thank you to all of the clubs, groups, and sports teams that made it a huge success! This event was able to provide a fun and safe Halloween activity to over 600 kids! 🎃 👻






The following 7th Grade students were selected as September SoCo STARS Students of the Month: Kailan Cole (Science), Olivia Rhoads (Geography), Noah Hockenbroch (ELA), Malachi Morris (Math).


The following students were chosen by the Sixth Grade staff at Southern Columbia Middle School as October's SoCo Stars of the Month. These students were chosen because they have displayed self-control, tolerance, academic integrity, and resilience within the school setting. Congratulations to each student and their families!
October 2023: Lincoln Barnette, Landon Delgrippo, Keyton Keefer, and Xavier Longenberger



On Tuesday, October 24, 5th Grade students from Mrs. Lupold and Mrs. Toczylousky's classes visited the elementary school to help Mrs. Habowski's 2nd Grade class with their annual Pumpkinology Day. Students worked together to make predictions and complete a number of pumpkin experiments. Pumpkins were picked by 2nd grade students last week on their Fall Fun Field Trip to Rohrbach's Farm.







Caleb Cheddar and Hazel Becker were chosen as 5th Grade Students of the Month for September.


Academics are a top priority here at the Southern Columbia Middle School. Along with classroom learning, Seventh Grade Science also focuses on hands-on learning. Students recently participated in a lab to explore the impacts of particle motion in matter by thermal energy. They investigated the effects of increasing and decreasing thermal energy on physical properties of water including cohesion, adhesion, and surface tension. In this specific experiment, they were able to test if heat affected the amount of water droplets that could fit on a penny.
Contributors: MolliLyn Petro and Siena Rovito, Journalism Staff Members






