Middle School

On March 13, the Students vs. Teachers Basketball Games return, sponsored by SAVE, and you won’t want to miss the action.

The competition tips off at 6:00 PM, as our students take on the staff in a night full of school spirit, friendly rivalry, and plenty of laughs.

🎟️ Tickets are available now on Hometown Ticketing.

Bring the whole family, fill the stands, and help make this an unforgettable community event. Let’s show up, cheer loud, and support our Tigers. 🐯

CSO STEM ambassadors Isabella Miller and Katelyn Brecht presented their action plan today in Mr. Kelchner's 8th Grade Science Class. The two students chose the topic of solar panels in order to raise awareness about the district's solar energy efforts and the positive impact renewable energy can have on our community. We’re proud to see students leading the way in STEM and sustainability!

Yesterday, 8th Grade students had the opportunity to hear from Evan Gajkowski, a certified nurse practitioner specializing in cardiology. He shared insights about his work in the medical field, discussed the nursing profession, and answered thoughtful questions from our engaged students. This presentation is part of an ongoing career series hosted by Mrs. Long and Mr. Williams, designed to help students explore real‑world pathways and professions.

🎨 Check Out Our SCA Artsonia Galleries!

Did you know SCA has Artsonia galleries featuring artwork created by our K–4 and Middle School students?

These online galleries showcase the creativity happening in our art rooms every day!
Parents and families can also connect to their student’s Artsonia profile and even purchase items featuring their child’s artwork. This is a great way to celebrate their creativity!

🔗 Elementary Gallery:
https://www.artsonia.com/schools/school.asp?id=45252

🔗 Middle School Gallery:
https://www.artsonia.com/schools/school.asp?id=89818

If you’d like to link to your student’s account, please refer to the bottom link on the Art Newsletter for connection instructions.

Thanks for supporting our young artists!

📅 Save the Date!
🏀 Hunter’s Jersey Day: Friday, March 6

Join us in celebrating the legacy of Hunter Beck Reynolds and supporting the Hunter’s Heart & Hustle Foundation, a non‑profit honoring Hunter’s dedication as a student, athlete, and philanthropist. The Foundation helps student‑athletes across central Pennsylvania by providing shoes, equipment, participation fees, and more so they have the resources they need to succeed on and off the field.

More information on how each building will be supporting this cause will be shared in the coming days! 🖤💛

Good luck to the Boys Basketball Team in their district semifinal matchup tonight, and to the Girls in their district final tomorrow night! Go Tigers! 🐯🏀

The lunch menu for the remainder of the week will follow the previously posted menu. Today, February 24, we will serve Orange Chicken, but the rest of the week will follow the posted menu.

Tomorrow, February 24, we will serve Orange Chicken with Seasoned Rice and various fruit and vegetable offerings. The lunch menus for the rest of the week will be adjusted based on product availability. More to come on this later. Thank you!!

The CSIU is excited to offer a Girls Summer STEM Camp from June 22–26, 2026! This week‑long program is designed to spark creativity, build confidence, and encourage girls to explore science, technology, engineering, and math in a fun, hands‑on environment.

The camp is open to girls entering Grades 6–8 for the 2026–27 school year. Attached, you’ll find a flyer with all camp details and registration information.

Only 25 spots are available, and they are expected to fill quickly!

Chief Science Officers of STEM recently spent a day at the Joseph Priestley House in Northumberland learning about the history of chemistry. Students also participated in a scavenger hunt around the museum that focused on solving various colonial-era housing problems by applying math skills. They wrapped up the day by listening to a speaker discuss upcoming artificial intelligence projects in our local communities.

Four parents visited the middle school today to talk with students about their careers. Two of the parents work at a university, while the others are a physical therapist and an insurance contract negotiator. They shared insights about educational requirements, day-to-day responsibilities, and important factors to consider when choosing a career, such as flexibility and work-life balance. Students had the opportunity to try physical therapy devices such as a grip-strength tester and received free "swag" from the presenters.

On Friday, February 6, our 6th graders enjoyed a day celebrating their achievements from the past marking period.

Students rotated through fun stations throughout the day, including trivia games, a school store, and a movie.

A special pizza party was held during lunch for Mrs. Powell’s Section 4, the winners of the 2nd marking period competition, The Race to the Pizza Party. Throughout the marking period, Mrs. Powell’s classes competed by earning individual AR points and working together as a team.

Section 4 finished with an impressive 613 points!

Congratulations to our 6th graders on a successful 2nd marking period! 🍕🎉

🌟 7th Grade Students of the Month 🌟

Congratulations to the following 7th grade students for their outstanding achievements in January:

🔬 Science: Alexis Andes
📚 ELA: Audrina Stefanowicz
➗ Math: Maddison Williams
🌍 Geography: Jovie Stahl

🎉 5th Grade SoCo Stars of the Month for January 🎉

These students were selected for demonstrating self‑control, tolerance, academic integrity, and resilience within the school setting.

January 2026 Honorees:
Ivy Margel, Emma Avellino, Ethan Heiser, Adalyn Blyler, and Hannah Taylor
Congratulations to each student and their families! ⭐

7th grade life science students wrapped up their unit on the chemicals of life by completing a series of hands-on chemical reaction labs.

Middle school students held a carnival for Southern’s pre-kindergarten students. They generated ideas, built the games, and helped the children play them. The activity was facilitated by Mrs. Long and Mrs. Race.

Calling all softball players in Grades 1st-6th! Join us for the Lady Tiger’s softball camp: a fun, skill-building day for young athletes. Fill out the attached registration form located on our Southern Columbia Softball Facebook and make all checks payable to SCA Softball Boosters. Come learn, train, and play like a Tiger!! 🖤💛

🌟 6th Grade Students of the Month 🌟

We are proud to recognize our outstanding 6th Grade Students of the Month! These students have demonstrated strong effort, a positive attitude, and a commitment to learning in their respective classes. Keep up the great work!

📚 ELA – Mrs. Powell: CeAsia Graham
➗ Math – Mr. Fegley: Firman Abdill
🔬 Science – Mr. Kaseman: Brady Boucher
🌎 Social Studies – Mr. Visnosky: Nathan Snyder

🎉 5th Grade Celebration! 🎉

Our 5th graders earned a well-deserved celebration by consistently demonstrating the core values of our SoCo Stars: Self-Control, Tolerance, Academic Integrity, and Resilience. Their hard work and positive choices were rewarded with a fun-filled day that included shopping at the TEAM Bucks Store, competing in a Winter Olympic Trivia Game, enjoying a movie and pancake breakfast, and relaxing with board games. We’re so proud of these students for shining bright and setting a great example!