Carlton thanks its extended family

021215PBCarlton HELPING OUT: Carlton School volunteer teacher Len Cannon with principal Gaye O'Connor. PICTURE / PAUL BROOKS

Last week Carlton School opened up the school hall and laid on morning tea with copious helpings of hospitality for people who assist the school through various ways.
They included parents who give their time to assist with various aspects of school life, including trips, camps, gym, sport, road patrol and much more, as well as volunteers and ancillary staff like cleaners.
"All of you supported our school in some capacity," said principal Gaye O'Connor at the morning tea. "Everyone in our school always gives 120 per cent, so people go above and beyond the call. This is our small attempt to thank you for the service you've given to our school."
One of those people is Len Cannon.
As a retired but still registered and practising teacher, Len was one of the founding staff at Rutherford Intermediate in 1963. It was his first permanent teaching job. He finished his 40 years' teaching in 2003. Now he volunteers his time to teach selected Year 5 and 6 students at Carlton.
"I teach aspects of literacy," says Len. "It might be comprehension, word study, spelling, whatever ... I take no more than two kids at a time for 45 minutes and the teachers tell me what it is they want. I plan it, teach it, evaluate it and give the evaluations to the teachers. We run on a five-week cycle."
Every three years, Len goes through all the required checks to enable him to renew his teaching registration.
When Len returned to Whanganui after spending his career teaching all around New Zealand, it was Baden Rountree, the only other surviving teacher from the Rutherford founding staff, who suggested Len give his time and talents to Carlton School.
That was this year. Len started halfway through the first term and has already indicated he will be available to carry on next year.