Southmoreland High School

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Coordinates: 40°08′18″N 79°35′33″W / 40.1384°N 79.5925°W / 40.1384; -79.5925
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Southmoreland High School
Southmoreland High School in September 2018.
Address
Map
2351 Route 981

Alverton
,
Pennsylvania
15612
Information
TypePublic
Grades9-12
Enrollment568 (2015-16)[1]
Color(s)   
Team nameScotties

Southmoreland High School is located in East Huntingdon Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, 40 miles southeast of downtown Pittsburgh. It serves grades 9–12. The school is part of the Southmoreland School District, which covers East Huntington Township, Ruffs Dale, Alverton, Tarrs, Scottdale, Everson, and parts of Buckeye. The school is headed by Principal Mr. Daniel Krofcheck and Assistant Principal Mrs. Tracey Kuchar.

Advanced Placement courses are available for enrollment in the subjects of Calculus (AB), Chemistry, Physics 1, Physics 2, Biology, English Language and Composition, English Literature and Composition, United States Government and Politics, French Language and Culture, Spanish Language and Culture, Music Theory and Statistics.

Dual enrollment courses are available in the following subjects: English Literature, American Politics, Physics 1, and Calculus 1.

History[edit]

The original Southmoreland High School building, 1942.
Russ Grimm Field is where the Southmoreland Football team plays its home games. It is pictured here in 2015.

Southmoreland High School was formed in the fall of 1964 with the merger of Scottdale Joint High School, located in Scottdale and East Huntingdon High School, located in Alverton. [2] With the merger, Southmoreland encompassed 51 total miles with approximately 15,000 residents in the district. The original Southmoreland building was on the site of the former East Huntingdon High School, where classes took place until the mid-1970's. In 1975, the newly constructed Southmoreland High School opened directly across from the former school, which became Southmoreland Junior High School. [3] The original school building was demolished in 2010. [4]

The school grew to prominence with its football team in the 1970's. Southmoreland linebacker Russ Grimm went on to play professional football for the Washington Redskins where he would become a three time Super Bowl champion and be inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 2023. [5]

In August 2013, Southmoreland's football field, Russ Grimm field, was destroyed in a flash flood. [6] The base beneath the turf was eroded by the water, creating divots in the ground below the field which lifted the AstroTurf, causing the field to warp.[7] In addition to this, a new stream subsequentially formed on the field itself. Southmoreland played the remainder of the 2013 season at nearby California University of Pennsylvania's Adamson Stadium. A new field was unveiled ahead of the 2014 season. [8]

Southmoreland's theater program ceased operation with advent of the new school building in 1975. This was until 2018 when the program was reintroduced with the musical Cinderella. [9]

The school's marching band has participated in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Marching Band Association (PIMBA) since 1996 where they compete in class single A. They have been PIMBA champions five times in 2001,[10] 2017, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

2010 fetus incident[edit]

On May 19, 2010, a janitor at Southmoreland had been doing routine cleaning of the school's stairwells when they discovered the presence of blood what was believed to be a human fetus. [11] It was originally believed by state police to be aged between 7 and 9 weeks and was likely the result of a miscarriage.[12] The fetus was examined by forensic pathologist Cyril Wecht, who determined that the fetus was actually a type of unspecified "vegetable matter". [13]

2021 mask protest incident[edit]

Fike during the board meeting.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Southmoreland began to utilize zoom meetings[14] in an effort to social distance. When in person meetings resumed in 2021, the school board voted 8-1 on the requirement for all board members to wear protective face coverings with the only dissenting vote being attributed to former school psychologist Dr. Catherine Fike. During the April 15, 2021 school board meeting, Fike thrusted Southmoreland into the national spotlight when she wore a paper bag over her head in protest of the district's mask policies.[15] During the meeting, Fike equated wearing masks to "depriving us of our individual rights and freedoms."[16]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Southmoreland SHS". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  2. ^ "Southmoreland Event". The Daily News. 5 April 1971. p. 12. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  3. ^ "Southmoreland Event". The Daily News. 5 April 1971. p. 12. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  4. ^ "Building projects continue in Southmoreland School District". TribLive. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  5. ^ "Proud Scotty: Southmoreland's Grimm inducted into PA Sports Hall of Fame". Herald-Standard. 5 November 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  6. ^ "Flash flooding destroys Southmoreland High School football field". WTAE. 10 August 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  7. ^ "Rain ruins high school's football field just as season begins". CBS News Pittsburgh. 10 August 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  8. ^ "Tour of the WPIAL: Southmoreland". Steel City Blitz. 15 August 2019. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  9. ^ "'Cinderella' marks magical return for Southmoreland musicals". Daily Courier. 21 April 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  10. ^ "Marching Band Scores - October 20, 2001". Marching.com. 20 October 2001. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  11. ^ "Fetus found in high school turns out to be vegetable". WPXI. 3 October 2016. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  12. ^ "Authorities investigating fetal material found at Southmoreland school". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 21 May 2010. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  13. ^ "Fetus found in high school turns out to be vegetable". WPXI. 3 October 2016. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  14. ^ "Southmoreland school board member dons paper sack in protest of mask policy". TribLive. 13 September 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  15. ^ "Southmoreland school board member wears paper bag during meeting". WTAE. 10 June 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  16. ^ "Southmoreland school board member wears paper bag during meeting". WTAE. 10 June 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2024.

40°08′18″N 79°35′33″W / 40.1384°N 79.5925°W / 40.1384; -79.5925 [1]

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  1. ^ "Southmoreland Event". The Daily News. 5 April 1971. p. 12. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  2. ^ "Proud Scotty: Southmoreland's Grimm inducted into PA Sports Hall of Fame". Herald-Standard. 5 November 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  3. ^ "Building projects continue in Southmoreland School District". TribLive. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  4. ^ "Fetus found in high school turns out to be vegetable". WPXI. 3 October 2016. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  5. ^ "Authorities investigating fetal material found at Southmoreland school". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 21 May 2010. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  6. ^ "Flash flooding destroys Southmoreland High School football field". WTAE. 10 August 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  7. ^ "Rain ruins high school's football field just as season begins". CBS News Pittsburgh. 10 August 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  8. ^ "Tour of the WPIAL: Southmoreland". Steel City Blitz. 15 August 2019. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  9. ^ "'Cinderella' marks magical return for Southmoreland musicals". Daily Courier. 21 April 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
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