Long-serving Kuranui teacher calls it a career

THE longest-serving teacher in the history of Kuranui College has decided to call it a day.
Dave McGibbon is putting away the textbooks and switching off his computer after 39 years at the school, having served under every principal the college has had since its opening in 1960, and at one time being acting principal himself.
He started at Kuranui in 1966, having taught in Christchurch after qualifying as a teacher.
"I came to Kuranui to do my three years country service, which was a requirement in those days."
He became head of the science department when foundation teacher Bruce Fordyce left, was senior master in 1975 and deputy principal in 1981.
Mr McGibbon was acting principal in 1997-98 and had then considered retiring but was asked by the board to stay on partly to organise the 40th reunion and the college astro-turf project.
He said he has thoroughly enjoyed his teaching career and will probably stay on living in Greytown.
A teacher who enjoyed a good rapport with pupils, Mr McGibbon has seen many top students pass through Kuranui to greater things.
Among these are Dr David Giles, a Featherston boy who become a member of former prime minister Robert Muldoon's think-tank and is now a professor of econometrics in Canada, Dr David Maidment, a professor of civil engineering in Texas, and Brian Blake, managing-director of DB Breweries in Auckland.
"But there are heaps of other very successful people too ? they are all over the world."