The Academic Games competition that began the first week of October 2011, ended on Monday at the National Tournament in Wheeling, West Virginia.    Academic Games provides competition for 5^th through 12^th graders in the areas of English language, social studies, and mathematics.  Throughout the year South Side had over 100 participants in all five games in which we participated.  To compete in the National Academic Games Tournament, South Side requires that our students finish in the top 15% of the county’s participants in at least two games.  This year nineteen of our students attained that goal.  Eighteen of them participated in the tournament in Wheeling. 
     The highlights of our National Competition play are numerous.  In elementary division, Sophia Velto’s World Events team finished in 7^th place nationally.  In the middle division, Alex Adams’s Propaganda team finished 14^th in the nation; Robbie Heberle’s Mr. President’s team finished ninth.  In the junior division, the Propaganda team of Megan Pieto, Ainsley Berringer, Melissa Halstead, Cheyenne Seik, and Tyler Chiccarello finished 13^th nationally.  Ainsley finished 20^th as an individual player.  In World Events Jon Sadenwasser’s team finished in 5^th place; and Ashley Knoerdel’s team finished in 4^th place.  In Mr. President’s Jon Sadenwasser’s and Ashley Knoerdel’s team finished in 2^nd place nationally; and Jon finished in 2^nd place, individually.  Other students who participated were middle division students Ashley Chiccarello, Ben Patosky, Emma Shychuck, Samantha Lally, and Hunter Cox.  Elementary division players were Jake Hilliard, Isaac Martin, and Elle Farber. Although they did not compete, Sydney Statler and Nick Weaver also qualified for the tournament.  
     Great thanks to our Academic Games coaches, Ms. McConahy, Mrs. Stockdale, and Mr. Sam McCoy, and congratulations to all our participants!

The annual SSHS Golf Team Scramble is set for Saturday, May 26^th, at Ponderosa Golf Course.  Click here for the flyer containing all the information you need to tee it up!  In addition, the golf teams are looking for hole sponsors and prize donations.  Please contact one of the golf coaches listed on the flyer if you are interested in sponsoring a hole or donating prizes for this worthy cause.

Recently our high school math department chair, Mrs. Miles, took three 9^th grade students to the Mathematics Council of Western PA competition at Penn State Beaver.  Ashley Heinlein placed 11^th, Sierra Shuntz placed 13^th, and Dylan Connor placed 4^th.  Dylan advanced as a regional finalist for the next round of competition at Derry Area Middle School.  Congratulations to all our student mathematicians!

Click here for the May issue of the monthly Principal's Report.

The 2012 Pennsylvania High School Computer Fair was held recently at the Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit.  South Side High School’s Computer Department won four awards:

Thanks to Mrs. Herman, Mrs. Woodling, and Mr. Tumulty for sponsoring, and congratulations to all our winners!

SSHS students enrolled in Mrs. Allison's law class recently took a very interesting field trip to the Beaver County Courthouse and Attorney Loll’s office.  Judge Kwidis visited with the students (pictured) and talked about a number of topics pertaining to the law and put the students through a mock trial.  Attorney Jim Loll meet with the students in his office and covered the basics on the career of a lawyer and answered a number of student generated questions.  Great thanks to the Beaver County Courthouse, Judge Kwidis, Attorney Loll, and Mrs. Allison for making this wonderful educational expereince possible for our students.

The annual Student Council Car Show was a great success!  In addition to the usual car displays, contests, and fun, this year Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and the SSHS S.A.D.D. Club joined in and hosted a program that included a student assembly and a scene of a fatal car crash that will hopefully make an impression on our teen drivers, particularly around the prom season, about the importance of safe driving.  Click here for more information.  

Congratulations to Mr. Cusato, who was announced this week in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review as a Pennsylvania Department of Education Teacher of the Year semifinalist!  Thirty-nine teachers were selected from across the state based on nominations by students, parents, colleagues, and community members.  Twelve finalists will be announced in May and the winner will be announced in December.  Click here for the newspaper article.

The Midwestern Pennsylvania Association of Science Teachers recently held their 17^th annual PENN STATE BEAVER SCIENCE CHALLENGE.  Sixteen participating local area high schools sent two teams of two students each to test their laboratory skills against each other in biology, chemistry and physics.  SSHS seniors Ethan Winkle and Jake Humes (pictured with our other team members Justin Gentile and Amber Hysong) took 3^rd place in the competition!  In other science news, Ethan and Jake were also recently awarded recognition certificates in the Chemistry Olympiad Category D Examination.  Congratulations!

Mrs. Schleiden demonstrates proper technique as her students work on their clothing patterns.  These students will construct their own clothing as part of our Family and Consumer Science (FCS) course of studies.  Students in FCS courses also gain expertise in consumerism, housing and home management, cooking, nutritional planning, interior design, computer technology, and much more.

Here at South Side High School, we recognize the value and importance of recognizing and applauding our students for their efforts and accomplishments not only in the classroom, but also in their extracurricular endeavors.  Pep rallies (pictured), assemblies, announcements, and recognition ceremonies are just some of the many ways we say thank you to our students for their outstanding efforts and accomplishments!

Mr. Dulick assists students in developing proper drafting techniques.  SSHS offers both traditional drafting and computer aided design (CADD) courses.  Students participating in these types of courses will be well-prepared for excellent career opportunities in architecture, engineering, and technical illustration.

"Teen Talk" is a program sponsored by Beaver County CYS aimed at assisting parents/guardians in dealing effectively with teen issues.  Click here for more information.