Southern Columbia HS

Set in Catawissa, Pennsylvania, Southern Columbia HS is a compact four-year high school, run under Southern Columbia Area SD. It educates 348 students across grades 9 through 12. Compared to the state average of about 738 students per school, that is 53% leaner than typical.

Southern Columbia Area SD runs 3 schools in total, collectively educating 1,195 students. Southern Columbia HS is one of those campuses.

Demographically, Southern Columbia HS shows that 93% of students identify as White, making the school strongly White-majority. Other groups include 3% Hispanic, 3% multiracial. Compared to Columbia County overall, the school's racial mix sits in roughly the same range.

Looking at the economic backdrop, On paper, Southern Columbia HS has 28 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 12.3:1. The state averages about 12.8:1, putting this campus right in line with peers. An estimated 28% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. That share is below Columbia County's rate of about 56%.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, Southern Columbia HS sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 65.8%; this one delivers 54.3%.

Around the school, census data for Columbia County shows the typical household earns roughly $64,644 per year, roughly 27% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 8% of residents live below the federal poverty line. In all, Columbia County runs 20 public schools (combined enrollment of about 7,501 students), of which Southern Columbia HS is one.

The closest other public school is Southern Columbia MS, roughly 0.0 miles away. Counting just inside five miles, 2 other public schools cluster around Southern Columbia HS. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Southern Columbia HS at 5th of 6; the average score across the group is 58.7%.

Geographically, the school is in a low-density area.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count ticked down 17%: 417 students in 2018 compared to 348 in 2025. Class-load math has tightened: from 14.5:1 in 2018 to 12.3:1 in 2025.

On this page, posts here usually surface around pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. Members of the school community can share what they know.