The world awaits Kuranui teacher

Notable Kuranui College teacher Chris McKenna plans to spend his retirement travelling.

The mathematics teacher and former head of department has decided to take up retirement after over 40 years of full-time teaching.

"I want to do some travelling. I love Melbourne and would love to do lots more of Australia. My two daughters, Erin and Dawn want to drag me off to New York for a month, and we may then spend some time in Hawaii," he said.

Mr McKenna's first experience at Kuranui was as a student in 1961. He said his first day was scary.

"There were kids from many other schools and it really felt like being a small fish in a big pond. There were a few kids in my class from my hometown of Featherston, but mostly a lot of strangers," he said.

"We showed a lot of respect for all the teachers then and were wary of putting a foot wrong. Nowadays teachers are seen more as equals by students."

He went on to study at Victoria University before he went to teachers' college in Christchurch. His first teaching post was at Colenso High School in Napier.

This was followed by a move to Hauraki Plains College, Ngatea, in 1978 and then Pleasant Point High School, near Timaru, in 1985.

In 1989, Mr McKenna returned to the school.

"I've seen a few big changes since I was employed by the then- principal Joye Halford; Brian Lochore being appointed as Kuranui commissioner; David McGibbon, who originally taught me physics, acting as principal; Grey Tuck's years as principal and now Geoff Shepherd at the helm. But the biggest change has been in the use of technology and the construction of the new buildings," he said.

"The college is in great heart."