Current Events

Hoss announces retirement after 36 years at WLHS

Elise Brown
November 30, 2012

Photo by Niki Gray

Clark Hoss, social studies teacher, has taught a plethora of classes over his teaching career, from World History Green to the now-defunct Crisis: World Dramas course. He’s taught nearly all social studies courses apart from psychology, economics and AP curricula. On Nov. 30, he announced in an email to the staff that after 36 years of teaching, he is retiring.

“I definitely enjoy teaching,” Hoss said. “It keeps you young. Young at mind, young at heart. But after 36 years in one place, it’s time to think of something new.”

Hoss’s retirement officially began on Nov. 30, but he will continue teaching for the remainder of the year as a “permanent substitute.” Negotiations for who will take his place will likely begin this spring, the same time enrollment and budget decisions are made.

Currently living in Lake Oswego, Hoss is planning to retire to Dundee — a town west of Newberg out in “wine country” — and start a bed-and-breakfast facility with his wife, Brigitte Hoss.

“It’s a people-oriented business,” Hoss said. “You have the ability to sit and visit with people. It’s not like a motel where people just check in and out. You never know when someone significant wants to stay with you, and the ability to interact with them would be exciting.”

Hoss is very thankful for the experience he’s had; he has served under four superintendents and six principals, and has been an advisor for activities such as cheer and ASB. But he is “well past” the retirement age for the public employees retirement system, which is 58 years of age or 30 years of service, and is ready to transition into retirement.

“There’s a certain amount of wear and tear every teacher feels,” Hoss said, “and some teach for longer than they should. But I’ve enjoyed it, and I feel like I have provided a service.”

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About the Contributor

Elise Brown, Co Editor-in-Chief

Elise Brown, senior, has always felt comfortable standing up and giving her opinion in front of everyone and for the most part, she enjoys it very much. That is one of the many reasons why she heads the debate team, and also why in June she earned a place in the National Speech and Debate Competition in Indianapolis.

Out of the 250 people entered in the competition, she finished 151st in the country. Before she earned her rightful place in Nationals, however, she needed to prove herself in Districts and State.

Her 10 minute long speech about socialism and its benefits took first and second in Districts and State, respectively.

“In the National competition the judges didn’t appreciate politics or controversy as much as they did in Districts and State,” Brown said. This was confirmed from one of the judges she conversed with in order to find out what she could do better.

Brown’s interest in current events started in the eighth grade. She then did the Amplifier, the high school newspaper to help communicate her ideas about the world with her fellow peers, she also did the debate team to better understand the problems throughout the world and learn how to solve them somewhat.

“Debate involves knowing what is going on in the world,” Brown said.

This year for upcoming competitions, she has a speech in the works that she feels will top her last one. This year’s speech is about interdependence inspired by the “you didn’t build that debate,” caused when President Barack Obama told business people that they did not create their businesses on their own.

Brown’s passion for debate has influenced what college she will go to, what she will study in college, and what she wants to do in her life. Brown’s goal is to graduate high school and then travel to Massachusetts and attend Wellesley College, a very well known and prestigious college, where Brown hopes to study political science.

To achieve this goal she has taken part in a number of rigorous courses and activities such as Speech and Debate, AP Government, AP Economics, Honors Law, AP English and journalism. Once Brown achieves her education goals, her next goal is to become a political commentator.

“I want to change people’s minds,” Brown said. Brown has chosen the path to become a political commentator because she believes political power lies with the media.

Brown has worked very hard throughout high school and continues to work hard through her senior year. She has taken many challenging courses to achieve her goal of going to Wellesley, and will need to continue down the very rigorous path to success to accomplish her goals.