Image provided by: West Linn High School; West Linn, OR
About The amplifier. (West Linn, Oregon) 1921-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 2008)
2008 _ ' _ 5 ■ Features Facing retirement, Noah reflects on career m CALLEY LlTHROP Staff Reporter social studies and world language. Their job is to meet with teachers, set goals and try to improve the departments, which Noah has wanted ever since walking also attend school events. Paperwork can bury Noah, as she answers 50-100 emails a day, and signs on the dotted line for teacher absence forms, transfers, The big cheese, the head honcho, the big kahuna... Principal Kim Noah. Student stereotypes abound about the Noah and her often ■■■■■■■Hi misunderstood role in leading the school. Noah’s tidy office is furnished with Asian art, a sort of feng shui. All seems to be in its proper place, but Noah admits she isn’t naturally this tidy. "It's taken a long time to get as organized as I am; it's always a struggle," Noah said, "I have a fairly flexible schedule, but things can come up that must be dealt with." Although Noah always carries her Blackberry at Julie Kahle, secretary, works with Kim Noah, principal, on scheduling. her side, situations she Noah has been principal at WLHS since 2000 and is retiring at the end encounters as a high school of the year. However, she hopes to still play a role at the school. principal are anything but Photo by Calley Lathrop predictable. through theschool's doors for verifications, curriculum Noah began her career the first time. and Plan H's. Certain times as a middle and high school * "I had a vision for this of the year also come with teacher in California before school, I try to look at the duties, for example, during becoming principal at past, present and future. I forecasting time. Noah enjoys Athey Creek Middle School. wanted, and still want, to the challenge. However, she had dreamed "I love participating in ^ an educator long - ^^e n g th e ji relationship? between everyone and build things like forecasting, and before. trust. My job is to serve our "I was the girl who set up school and community," my dolls and a chalkboard Noah said. and played teacher in my There are many meetings U H ilu C iavarello room," Noah said. After with staff, students and News Editor attending college, Noah administrators, some weekly Imagine this: you're bored pursued administration at a and others spur-of-the- and you have nowhere to time when it was considered moment. However, her door go. For some of you this a "man's job," and struggle to is almost always open. "I try might be normal, for others be accepted. "I had to work to be accessible, and if there's its the occasional realization extra hard to prove myself to an issue, you can usually get of being stuck in suburbia staff and parents at times," to me." with nothing but reminders she said. According to Noah, there of your mundane existenciyggi Noah became Principal at are many misconceptions But the newest fad to escape WLHS in 2000 shortly after surrounding her job. The from that fate is spendirij|& her daughter Marissa, now biggest, she says, is that the Friday or Saturday nighfout 25, graduated from high principal should know every on the town, specifically fat the school. The job includes long Escape Nightclub. hours, stretching from around student by name and develop relationships with them. The Escape Nightclub 10 -12 hours a day. prides itself on being a haven "There are 1600 students in "I think of myself as an for all—no matter what sexual this building. It's very hard to 'umbrella' over the school. orientation one may be. The talk to everyone. I love when I work to keep it open and I meet students. Come up and club, which opened in 1979, functioning, but 1 have lots is a gay nightclub located in say 'Hi' sometime." of support from teachers, downtown Portland. Students All students do have the students and administrators," at West Linn, as well as chance to chat with Noah Noah said. She and other around the Portland metro during lunch, as she and Kim administrators have the area, have not only found Carlson, Assistant Principal, task of overseeing certain The Escape Nightclub to be frequent the library area and departments, Noah's being an exciting way to spend a Saturday night, but also see it as a safe place where they can be themselves. A typical night at The Escape includes hours of dancing on the Saturday Night Fever inspired floor, as well as a drag show in which the songs performed range from Dolly Parton to liamshow. corn's internet craze, "Shoes." "I love the drag shows and that queens/bois/the transgendered community is embraced [by them]. being able to take a role in helping students get where they want to be," she said. According to Noah, the hardest part of her job is dealing with conflict among students, parents or staff. "I never want to do things like fire people or discipline students, but when I do it's in their and our school's best interest, and must be done," Noah said. Her favorite part of being principal, she says, is watching students "grow, learn and enjoy school," and attending after-school activities like sports games and plays. Some students don't like school and they don't enjoy the work, the time and the effort it takes. "We want students to enjoy coming here, and work very hard to make this a good place," Noah said. School may take up a large portion of her life, but Noah enjoys many hobbies and extra-curriculars. A health nut, Noah works- out at home in the mornings and was having a lunch of sparkling water, veggies, wheat crackers and spreads with Carlson upon my arrival. However, her favorite food is still a juicy hamburger and french fries. An avid reader, she also enjoys - travelling, spending time with her family including her husband, Ken, who is Superintendent at Gresham Barlow School District. Noah will be retiring at the end of this year, and she hopes to enjoy the freedom, relax and leave a positive legacy. '1 hope our principal does well wherever life leads her," Courtney Hagerman, sophomore, said. "I have a lot of respect for her. It'd be hard to be in her* shoes. She's very patient and nice, and I really like her," Ashley Bright, junior, said. Noah has been the school's leader for eight years. As her final day draws near, applications are being filed and candidates are being interviewed to determine her successor. "I may be retiring, but would still like to help this school; it’s like a part of me," she said. Portland nightclub offers fun, safe "Escape" Everyone's uniqueness becomes a common theme at The Escape. It is awesome that The Escape offers this type of open, accepting community to young people. Plus, drag shows are fun," Angela Oliverio, senior, The JEscape also holds many theme nights, from blacklight lit only dances to masquerade balls. One the most interesting aspects the club has to offer are its pageants. Club attendees have the ability to enter into the annual Rosebud and Thom Pageant, in which participants take part in a show to earn their title. Another aspect that The Escape offers students is the fact that it doesn't sugarcoat the "hard to talk about" subjects. The Escape promotes safe sex by passing out free condoms, as well as being host to a free HIV testing clinic. Rules of the club are set to let students feel just the right level of open-mindedness, according to club owners, which helps the night not only be fun, but also a learning experience about the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community (LGBTQ). "I think it's cool that sex is an open and comfortable subject at the Escape. It's a refreshing change from the hyper-conservative, overtly pro-abstinence environment in which we live and ’learn.' Sex is human. We should be able to talk about it," one senior student who frequents The Escape, said. Recently, students in the CQFU2 class were assigned a project to spend a day in someone else's shoes. Student projects ranged froi^fccoverin g the hardships of homelessness to tm lBstanding the pulls of drug addiction. Seniors Eli Groman, Alexandra Namhie, Breonna Winfield, Erin Butts and Malia Chong tried to gain perspective on the lives of the LGBTQ community by visiting the Escape Nightclub. "I was really excited about presenting our CORE project because I felt like The Escape wasn't something everyone really knew about. I think it was important to talk about The Escape because it is a gay, straight, and bisexual friendly place that is really involved in the community," Butts said. "I think The Escape is a safe place where I jean go and have fun and just be myself; I don't have to worry about anything and I can just be free and enjoy myself without being judged." The Escape is open Friday's 10:30 p.m. to 4 a.m., with admission $7, as well on Saturday's 10:30 p.m. to 4 a.m., with admission $10. It is located at 333 SW Park Ave.
