Southern Columbia Area High School


Southern Columbia Area High School is a small, rural public high school located in Catawissa, Pennsylvania. It is the sole high school operated by Southern Columbia Area School District. In 2013, Southern Columbia Area High School reported an enrollment of 437 pupils in grades 9th through 12th, with 23.5% of its pupils eligible for a federal free or reduced price lunch due to the family meeting the federal poverty level. Additionally 13.7% of pupils received special education services, while 6.6% of pupils were identified as being gifted. The school employed 33 teachers. According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2% of its teachers were rated "Non-Highly Qualified" under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2010, the school reported an enrollment of 415 pupils in grades 9th through 12th, with 97 pupils eligible for a federal free or reduced-price lunch. The school employed 34 teachers, yielding a student–teacher ratio of 12:1. According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of its teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under No Child Left Behind.
Southern Columbia Area High School students may choose to attend Columbia-Montour Area Vocational-Technical School for training. The Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit IU16 provides the School with a wide variety of services like specialized education for disabled students and hearing, speech and visual disability services and professional development for staff and faculty.
US News and World Report Award In 2014, Southern Columbia Area High School was recognized by US News and World Report as a Bronze level high school in a nationwide school ranking. Among Pennsylvania high schools 56 achieved gold or silver medals. Another 103 high schools achieved bronze rating out of 698 Pennsylvania high schools reviewed.

Graduation rate

In 2013, Southern Columbia Area High School's graduation rate was 97%. In 2012, Southern Columbia Area School District's graduation rate was 98%. In 2011, the District had a 98% graduation rate. In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4-year cohort graduation rate. Southern Columbia Area High School's rate was 91% for 2010.
Former AYP graduation rate:
Southern Columbia Area High School achieved 81.6 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. In reading/literature - 88.5% of pupils were on grade level. In Algebra 1, 77.8% showed on grade level math skills. In Biology, 63% showed on grade level science understanding. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2,181 public schools, achieved an academic score of 70 or higher. Pennsylvania 11th grade students no longer take the PSSAs. Instead, effective 2013, they take the Keystone Exams at the end of the associated course.

AYP status

In 2012, Southern Columbia Area High School achieved Adequate Yearly Progress status. In 2010 and 2011, Southern Columbia Area High School also achieved AYP status.
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Pennsylvania System of School Assessments, commonly called PSSAs, are NCLB related examinations which were administered from 2003 through 2012. The PSSAs for 11th graders included four exams: Reading, Writing, Mathematics and Science. The Science exam included content in science, technology, ecology and the environmental studies. The mathematics exam covered: algebra I, algebra II, geometry and trigonometry.
;11th Grade Reading:
Of the 18 CSIU16 region high schools, Southern Columbia Area High School ranked 3rd for 11th grade reading achievement in 2012. In 2009, it ranked 5th in the region.
;11th Grade Math:
In 2012, Southern Columbia Area High School 11th graders ranked 3rd out of 18 high schools in the CSIU 16 region for math achievement. In 2011, Southern Columbia AHS 11th graders ranked 3rd out of 18 high schools in the CSIU 16 region for math achievement. In 2010, Southern Columbia AHS 11th graders ranked 5th out of 18 high schools in the CSIU 16 region for math achievement. In 2009, the 11th grade ranked 1st in the region for math achievement on the 11th grade PSSAs.
;11th Grade Science:
In 2012, Southern Columbia High School 11th graders ranked 2nd out of 18 high schools in the CSIU 16 region for science achievement.
Science in Motion Southern Columbia Area High School did not take advantage of a state program called Science in Motion which brought college professors and sophisticated science equipment to the school to raise science awareness and to provide inquiry-based experiences for the students. The Science in Motion program was funded by a state appropriation and cost the school nothing to participate. Susquehanna University provided the science enrichment experiences to schools in the region.

College remediation

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 14% of the Southern Columbia Area High School graduates required remediation in mathematics and or reading before they were prepared to take college level courses in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education or community colleges. Less than 66% of Pennsylvania high school graduates, who enroll in a four-year college in Pennsylvania, will earn a bachelor's degree within six years. Among Pennsylvania high school graduates pursuing an associate degree, only one in three graduate in three years. Per the Pennsylvania Department of Education, one in three recent high school graduates who attend Pennsylvania's public universities and community colleges takes at least one remedial course in math, reading or English.

Dual enrollment

The Southern Columbia Area High School offers the Pennsylvania dual enrollment program. This state program permits high school students to take courses, at local higher education institutions, to earn college credits. The students continue to have full access to activities and programs at their high school, including the high school graduation ceremony. Classes from Bloomsburg University and Luzerne County Community College are typically available to the students.

ACE

Southern Columbia junior and senior students also have the opportunity to participate in Bloomsburg University’s Advance College Experience Program. The ACE program provides a 75% tuition reduction for high school students taking college level classes. Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions. The Pennsylvania College Credit Transfer System reported in 2009, that students saved nearly $35.4 million by having their transferred credits count towards a degree under the new system. In 2010 the district received a $6,975.00 state grant to be used to assist students with tuition, fees and books.

Graduation requirements

To graduate from Southern Columbia Area School District, a student must earn 25 credits, including passing the following courses: 4 credits of English, 4 credits of Social Studies, four credits of Math, four years of Science, four years of physical education and one of health. Students in grades 10 - 12 are required to schedule at least 6. 66 credits in each of their high school years. Students must schedule a minimum of 40 class periods per week. Students in grade 9 are required to schedule 7.66 credits. Students in grade 9 must schedule 46 class periods per week.
By law, all Pennsylvania secondary school students must complete a project as a part of their eligibility to graduate from high school. The type of project, its rigor and its expectations are set by the individual school district. Effective with the graduating class of 2017, the Pennsylvania State Board of Education eliminated the state mandate that students complete a culminating project in order to graduate.
By Pennsylvania School Board regulations, beginning with the class of 2017, public school students must demonstrate successful completion of secondary level course work in Algebra I, Biology, and English Literature by passing the Keystone Exams. The exam is given at the end of the course. Keystone Exams replace the PSSAs for 11th grade.
Students have several opportunities to pass the exam. Schools are mandated to provide targeted assistance to help the student be successful. Those who do not pass after several attempts can perform a project in order to graduate. For the class of 2019, a Composition exam will be added. For the class of 2020, passing a civics and government exam will be added to the graduation requirements. In 2011, Pennsylvania high school students field tested the Algebra 1, Biology and English Lit exams. The statewide results were: Algebra 1 38% on grade level, Biology 35% on grade level and English Lit - 49% on grade level. Individual student, school or district reports were not made public, although they were reported to district officials by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Students identified as having special needs and qualifying for an Individual Educational Program may graduate by meeting the requirements of their IEP.

SAT scores

In 2013, Southern Columbia School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 501. The Math average score was 513. The Writing average score was 487. The College Board reported that statewide scores were: 494 in reading, 504 in math and 482 in writing. The nationwide SAT results were the same as in 2012.
In 2012, 73 Southern Columbia School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 483. The Math average score was 512. The Writing average score was 475. The statewide Verbal SAT exams results were: Verbal 491, Math 501, Writing 480. In the USA, 1.65 million students took the exams achieving scores: Verbal 496, Math 514, Writing 488. According to the College Board the maximum score on each section was 800, and 360 students nationwide scored a perfect 2,400.
In 2011, 74 Southern Columbia students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 498. The Math average score was 511. The Writing average score was 483. Pennsylvania ranked 40th among states with SAT scores: Verbal - 493, Math - 501, Writing - 479. In the United States, 1.65 million students took the exam in 2011. They averaged 497 verbal, 514 math and 489 in writing.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education compared the SAT data of students in rural areas of Pennsylvania to students in urban areas. From 2003 to 2005, the average total SAT score for students in rural Pennsylvania was 992, while urban students averaged 1,006. During the same period, 28 percent of 11th and 12th graders in rural school districts took the exam, compared to 32 percent of urban students in the same grades. The average math and verbal scores were 495 and 497, respectively, for rural students, while urban test-takers averaged 499 and 507, respectively. Pennsylvania’s SAT composite score ranked low on the national scale in 2004. The composite SAT score of 1,003 left Pennsylvania ranking 44 out of the 50 states and Washington, DC.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education reported that 71 percent of students in rural areas of Pennsylvania chose to continue their education after high school in 2003, whereas 79 percent of urban high school graduates opted to continue their education.

AP Courses

In 2013, Southern Columbia High School offered 5 Advanced Placement courses at a higher cost than regular courses. Students have the option of taking College Board approved courses and then taking the College Board's examination in the Spring. Students, who achieve a 3 or better on the exam, may be awarded college credits at US universities and colleges. Each higher education institution sets its own standards about what level of credits are awarded to a student based on their AP exam score. Most higher education give credits for scores of 4 or 5. Some schools also give credits for scores of 3. High schools give credits towards graduation to students who take the school's AP class. At Southern Columbia High School, less than 10 of the students who took an AP course earned a 3 or better on the exam.

Wellness policy

Southern Columbia Area School Board established a district-wide Wellness Policy in 2006 - Policy 246. The policy deals with nutritious meals served at school, the control of access to some foods and beverages during school hours, age appropriate nutrition education for all students, and physical education for students K-12. The policy is in response to state mandates and federal legislation. The law dictates that each public school district participating in a program authorized by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 "shall establish a local school wellness policy by School Year 2006." According to Southern Columbia's Plan, the Superintendent is required to annually report to the Board on the district’s compliance with law and policies related to student wellness.
The legislation placed the responsibility of developing a wellness policy at the local level so the individual needs of each district can be addressed. According to the requirements for the Local Wellness Policy, school districts must set goals for nutrition education and physical education that are aligned with the Pennsylvania State Academic Standards for Health, Safety and Physical Education, campus food provision, and other school-based activities designed to promote student wellness. Additionally, districts were required to involve a broad group of individuals in policy development and to have a plan for measuring policy implementation. Districts were offered a choice of levels of implementation for limiting or prohibiting low nutrition foods on the school campus. In final implementation these regulations prohibit some foods and beverages on the school campus. The Pennsylvania Department of Education required the district to submit a copy of the policy for approval.
Southern Columbia Area High School offers both a free school breakfast and a free or reduced-price lunch to children in low income families. All students attending the school can eat breakfast and lunch at school. Children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty level are provided a breakfast and lunch at no cost to the family. Children from families with incomes between 130 and 185 percent of the federal poverty level can be charged no more than 30 cents per breakfast. A foster child whose care and placement is the responsibility of the State or who is placed by a court with a caretaker household is eligible for both a free breakfast and a free lunch. Runaway, homeless and Migrant Youth are also automatically eligible for free meals. The meals are partially funded with federal dollars through the United States Department of Agriculture.
In 2013, the USDA issued new restrictions to foods in public schools. The rules apply to foods and beverages sold on all public school district campuses during the day. They limit vending machine snacks to a maximum of 200 calories per item. Additionally, all snack foods sold at school must meet competitive nutrient standards, meaning they must have fruits, vegetables, dairy or protein in them or contain at least 10 percent of the daily value of fiber, calcium, potassium, and Vitamin D. In order to comply with the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 all US public school districts are required to raise the price of their school lunches to $2.60 regardless of the actual cost of providing the lunch. In 2014, President Obama ordered a prohibition of advertisements for unhealthy foods on public school campuses during the school day.
Southern Columbia Area High School provides health services as mandated by the Commonwealth and the federal government. Nurses are available in each building to conduct annual health screenings and to dispense prescribed medications to students during the school day. Students can be excluded from school unless they comply with all the State Department of Health’s extensive immunization mandates. School nurses monitor each pupil for this compliance. Nurses also monitor each child's weight.

Highmark Healthy High 5 grant

In 2011, the Southern Columbia School District received funding through a Highmark Healthy High 5 grant. Southern Columbia Area High School received $10,000 which was used to purchase equipment for the Tigers in Training program, and interactive circuit training program incorporating equipment introduction, testing, and heart rate lessons. Beginning in 2006, Highmark Foundation engaged in a 5-year, $100 million program to promote lifelong healthy behaviors in children and adolescents through local nonprofits and schools.
Southern Columbia School District participated in Highmark Healthy High 5 Health eTools for Schools which enabled mobile data collection of pertinent health and physical fitness screening data on students K-12 in a database held by InnerLink, Inc. in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Health eTools for Schools also provided interdisciplinary research-based curriculum in nutrition, physical education and physical activity to participating districts. The program was discontinued in 2013.

Extracurricular Activities

The Southern Columbia Area School District offers a variety of clubs, activities and an extensive costly sports program. The Southern Columbia Area School Board determines eligibility policies to participate in these programs. The sports programs are through the Pennsylvania Heartland Athletic Conference and the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association. The Pennsylvania Heartland Athletic Conference is a voluntary association of 25 PIAA High Schools within the central Pennsylvania region. Southern Columbia Area School District charges students an activity fee to participate in sports and some other activities. Students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunches, are not required to pay the student participation fee. Revenue from the fee is anticipated to be approximately $20,000.
The District is compliant with state law, by posting its Interscholastic Athletic Opportunities Disclosure Form on its website. According to Pennsylvania’s Safety in Youth Sports Act, all sports coaches, paid and volunteer, are required to annually complete the Concussion Management Certification Training and present the certification before coaching. Southern Columbia School District has implemented mandatory ImPACT testing in grades 9 – 12 in collision sports.
By Pennsylvania law, all K-12 students in the district, including those who attend a private nonpublic school, cyber charter school, charter school and those homeschooled, are eligible to participate in the extracurricular programs, including all athletics. They must meet the same eligibility rules as the students enrolled in the district's schools.
Southern Columbia currently holds the Pennsylvania state record for consecutive and total state football championships, with 5 and 10 respectively.

Sports

The District funds:
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According to PIAA directory July 2012