Image provided by: West Linn High School; West Linn, OR
About The amplifier. (West Linn, Oregon) 1921-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 2007)
----- ----------------- ' For ten years, terminally ill Oregonians have had the choice to die with dignity. Should they? page 4 i --- — ~ Ever wonder ■ spelunker, a para-sailer and others—that's who! Girls' and Boys' Cross Country teams qualify for State with first and second place finishes. page 6 I --------------------— page 11 Official Student Publication of West Linn High School Published Since 1921 Harry Potter and house colors, hot dogs and hamburgers highlight Homecoming. Across the Universe" takes a psychedelic trip through the 1960s via Beatles' tunes. w ....... M&mP- - page 9 -------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- page 12 November 2007 - Volume 96, Issue 2 Community sets standards for new principal u V alorie W allace ___________ Contributing Writer Forming good relationships and learning to be a good listener are important qualities for a high school principal. According to Roger Woehl, Superintendent, the new principal next year is expected to come into the school open minded and willing to grasp the sense of community that is already here. Kim Noah, principal, will retire at the end of the current school year after eight years at WLHS. The search for the new administrator is already underway with hope of having the final name by late March or early April. With a few applications in '^ -^ y o rk s , the school board u actively searching for the right match. In order to have a wide range of candidates to choose from, the school board is not only searching within the district, but with the help of parent volunteer, Kate Dickson, is seeking possible Woehl believes that this is a job for an experienced educator and that everyone should have a say in some Kim Noah, principal, talks with Michelle Olson, counselor, in her office. Noah will be retiring at the end of the school year and a search is underway for her replacement. Photo by Malia Chong applicants outside the state. "It's a rigorous process. It's a challenge, because they can't be a beginner; they have to have experience in administration,'' Woehl said. of the qualities that the principal ought to have. Because of this, parents, students and staff will contribute to the selection process. Ten representatives ISEF begins new year a A dam H olmes ______________ Staff Reporter The International Science and Engineering Fair is much more than a science fair. Held all over the world, it offers excellent opportunities for students to reach potential they didn't think was possible. This year West Linn will enter over 100 projects at the Feb. 29 competition. Students are allowed to either work by themselves or with up to two partners. The West Linn-Wilsonville School District has its own fair, the CREST-Jane Goodall Science Symposium, which is affiliated with ISEF and sponsored by Intel. It is a real- world, hands-on inquiry; all directed by the student. "ISEF is a good thing and it gives you an opportunity to do real science like professionals," Alissa Greenberg, junior, said, "You do your own independent study. [It] teaches you diligence because your Projects depend on you." Student(s) create a topic and research question, and change it into a testable hypothesis. Then, they put together a project plan and research anything that is related to their project. Finally, they conduct the experiment, write up results, and turn that into a display board for the fair. Throughout the years, students have submitted a variety of different projects, including a study on determining a person's gender through fingerprints, on prepackaged vegetables vs non-packaged vegetables to determine which is healthier, and on how different frequencies affect different people of various ages. At last year's convention, Avi Levy, junior, studied geometric inequalities, and Michael Bemert, senior, conducted a study on in- vitro cultivation of Japanese maples. Levy and Bemert went on to compete in the international fair in May. ISEF is an excellent chance for students to study a subject that they are passionate about, and present it in front of professional scientists who will judge their project on the fair day, according to Amy Schauer, district ISEF coordinator. M ________________________ ■ continued on page 2 "Once from the student body along with parent volunteers and staff, will meet in groups to discuss a list of qualities they hope to find. Expectations for the applicant include a masters degree and a license to teach in Oregon, but also their work in the community surrounding the school. "They should be able to come alongside people, build relationships with them and gain understanding of the school. They should honor what is already here and understand systems already in place so new ideas can be implemented slowly," Woehl said. Along with Noah, he says trust is key. Without trust there cannot be support from staff and students. Noah believes that one of the most important things for an administrator to have is a vision of where they see the school going while incorporating everyone's ideas. It is the principal's job to regulate the systems and see that everything is following procedure, but it is also their job to listen to what the community wants. "The school belongs to them— not my school, our school," Noah said. She thinks that the first year is critical, and explains that being a good listener is very important. They need to learn the culture, wants and likes, build relationships and participate in school events. Woehl thinks the new principal will have a chance to establish leadership in several areas of the school, including looking outside of the normal schedule. There has been consistent demand for more "life-skills" classes, and Woehl would like to see activities offered that could help promote them without seeing a change in the academic schedule. m ftimimi ________________■ N continued on page 3 Upon a Mattress opens today "I want some happily ever after to happen to me!" u HlLLI ClAVARELLO News Editor With the opening of "Once Upon a Mattress" today, the atre students are fully prepared for a happy ending. "This production has taken a lot of work to bring to frui r Rosie Dickson, senior, and Hans Farnbach, junior, rehearse for the musical "Once Upon a Mattress," set to open tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the theater. The show tells the story of a prince who finds his princess. Photo by Malia Chong ■ ■ B M B B i tion, but it was work happily done from constructing each costume, to painting the set, to rehearsing every dance step," Jessica Murray, musical director, said. The musical is an adapta tion of the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, "The Princess and the Pea," about a prince who finds his princess after she successfully passes a test given by the queen. She proves herself by detecting a pea through 20 mattresses, showing how "delicate" she is. The show will take place in the theatre featuring students from every class. "Come join us as we cel ebrate our own little happily ever after with the opening of the musical," Murrav said. Performances: Nov. 2 ,3 ,8 ,9 , 10 at 7:30 p.m., plus a special matinee on Nov. 10 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets: $7 for students, $10 for adults, at the box office (call 503-673-7800 x 8090) or order online. B H B D SK aaB B B H B H H aSE SB B
