Our Team

Miss Averink

Miss Averink was born and raised near Woodstock, Ontario. She attended Oxford Reformed Christian School for her entire elementary and secondary education. In 2018, Miss Averink attended Wilfrid Laurier University for four years and graduated in 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours in History and Minor in English). She is currently enrolled in a Masters of Secondary Education program at Niagara University in Buffalo, New York and intends to complete this online. Miss Averink started teaching at Providence in 2022 and teaches History, English, and Art.

Mrs. Barrett

Mrs. Barrett received her Bachelor of Arts degree and her teaching license from Dordt University. She spent the first three years of her teaching career in Honduras teaching sixth grade at a Christian bilingual school. Mrs. Barrett moved to London to teach at Providence, where she has taught ever since. While in London, she received her specialist certification for guidance counselling and her intermediate-division qualification for teaching Health and Physical Education. She uses that training as the guidance counsellor, Career Studies teacher, athletic director, and Health and Phys. Ed. teacher. She also teaches a variety of other courses. Mrs. Barrett is an active member of the Cornerstone URC in London.

Mrs. Bergsma

“Mrs. Bergsma is a former student of PRC and graduated in 2015. She attended Brescia University College for four years and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Honors Specialization in French and Major in English). Mrs. Bergsma married Jesse Bergsma, also a PRC alumni. Mrs. Bergsma started teaching at PRC in 2019, and she and her husband moved to Christchurch, NZ for a year where she obtained her Bachelor of Education degree. They now live in Appin, ON. Mrs. Bergsma teaches French, English, and some electives. Mrs. Bergsma loves coaching and playing volleyball and traveling.

Mr. De Visser

Mr. de Visser was born in Pretoria, South Africa, where his parents worked as missionaries until their move to Hamilton, Ontario, in 2004. After his years at Guido de Brés Christian High School, he earned a B.A. in History and Philosophy from McMaster University in 2014. It was during these years, while also working at Campfire! Summer Bible Camp and completing an internship with ARPA Canada, that Mr. de Visser felt assured of his desire to be a high school teacher. Mr. de Visser earned his B.Ed. from Wilfrid Laurier University in 2015 and joined Providence that August. Since then, he has completed his M.Ed. from Dordt University in the Teacher Leadership strand, conducting a study on how Crew can be used as a tool to foster a sense of belonging at school. Mr. de Visser currently serves as the Vice Principal and teaches History, Philosophy, Bible, and English. Mr. de Visser and his wife Hannah live in Strathroy and have been blessed with three sons.

Mr. Ellens

Mr. Ellens was born in Niagara-on-the-Lake but moved with his family at the age of 9 to Alberta. After graduating, he studied English and Math at Redeemer University College and also received a Bachelor of Education degree. While at university, he met Amanda and they were married in 2010. Shortly afterward they moved to Carman, Manitoba for 7 years and Mr. Ellens taught at Dufferin Christian School. In 2017 the Ellens family moved to Strathroy, Ontario and became part of the Providence Reformed Collegiate community. They have four children: Emma, Ezra, Cora, and Judah. Mr. Ellens teaches English, Math, Biology, and Science.

Mr. Haklander

Mr. Rik Haklander and his wife, Marya, live on a farm near Poplar Hill, and have three children. Mr. Haklander joined our teaching staff in September 2020 to teach our construction engineering and transportation technology courses and cooperative education program. He graduated from Fanshawe College as an automotive power technician and worked as a licensed mechanic for over 30 years. He also continues to work on his cash crop and veal calf operation. Mr. Haklander is excited about helping direct young people in their understanding and appreciation of the trades.

Miss Janssens

Miss Janssens is our administrative assistant. She lives in Strathroy and attends the Providence URC. She joined our staff in November 2020, coming to Providence with more than 25 years of experience in Christian school office administration.

Mrs. Keuning

Mrs. Keuning is a former student of PRC and graduated in 2016. She attended McMaster University for four years and graduated with a Bachelor of Life Science Degree with a minor in Psychology. She was a TA for a Life Science lab course at McMaster, and she completed a thesis in a molecular biology lab, focusing on colon cancer research. After graduating in 2020, she worked for Dr. Wael Hanna as a clinical research assistant at St. Joseph's Hospital in Hamilton. She is leaving Providence in June 2023 and will begin teaching at Hope Reformed Christian School in St. George for the 2023/24 school year.

Mrs. Lenting

Mrs. Lenting grew up in the Waterdown area and moved to Strathroy when she married her husband, Rob, in 2006.
Together they attend Grace Canadian Reformed Church in Kerwood and have 5 children. Anne has been involved in Covenant Christian School for many years, primarily as librarian. When her oldest child began attending Providence, Mrs. Lenting sought a way to be involved here as well. Anne studied Child and Youth Work at Mohawk College and serves as an EA at Providence.

Mr. Pennings

Mr. Ken Pennings and his wife Belinda have been blessed with six children, who range in age from two years to 20 years old. He was born and raised in the St. Thomas area on a pig farm. He studied at Redeemer College from 1992 - 1996. Following his studies at Redeemer, he taught for two years before coming to PRC from 1999 to 2007. Those years hold many good memories for him. He then moved on from PRC and taught at Oxford Reformed Christian School for 5 years. Following the Lord's prompting, he then studied at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, MI from 2012 - 2016. Mr. Pennings teaches Family Studies, Bible, Geography, and Philosophy.

Mrs. Pieterman

Mrs. Pieterman grew up in the Hamilton area but moved to London during her teen years. Good thing, too, as this is where she met her husband, Art. They were married in 1991 and have been blessed with five children, all of whom have now graduated from Providence. The Pietermans are members of Pilgrim Canadian Reformed Church in London. Mrs. Pieterman joined our staff as a part time Educational Assistant in 2016. She is currently our Learning Assistance Coordinator and teaches a variety of courses, including Learning Strategies, Civics, Accounting, Entrepreneurship, and Computer Technology.

Mrs. Tenhage

Mrs. Amy Tenhage is a former student of PRC, having graduated in 2011. She went on to complete a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Social Work at McMaster University in 2014. After graduating, Mrs. Tenhage practiced in the area of child welfare in the Sarnia-Lambton area. Amy married Kris in 2015, and together they have been blessed with 3 children. Mrs. Tenhage teaches part-time at Providence.

Mr. Vander Deen

Our principal, Mr. Mike Vander Deen, grew up on a farm near Strathroy and graduated from PRC in 2001. He taught at Heritage Christian School in Jordan, Ontario from 2006-2014. Since 2014, he has taught and served as principal of Providence. Mr. Vander Deen has a B.A. and B.Ed. from Redeemer University, and an M.Ed. (educational leadership) from Calvin University. He is a Van Lunen Fellow after completing the Executive Management in Christian Schools program in 2019. He is married to Rachel, and they have four sons. They live near Mt. Brydges and attend Providence URC in Strathroy. Mr. Vander Deen has taught a wide variety of courses at Providence.

Mrs. Vandermeyden

Pam Vandermeyden lives in Appin with her husband Marty and their five daughters. She earned an Honours B.A. in History from Western University and subsequently completed her Bachelor of Education at Western's Althouse College, with a focus on teaching high school English and History. Pam has taught at both the elementary and high school levels and currently teaches English, Bible, and Hospitality and Tourism at PRC.

Miss Wattel

Miss Jessica Wattel is a past student from Providence who recently received her undergraduate degree at Redeemer University in Biology. She is enrolled in a Masters of Secondary Education program at Niagara University specializing in teaching Biology. One can find Miss Wattel playing or coaching a variety of sports and hopes to contribute to the athletic world at Providence. In line with her passion for science, she will be teaching Biology courses at PRC in 2023/24 along with working as an EA.

Mrs. Wattel

Mrs. Ebelien Wattel was born and raised in Waterdown, ON. She married Peter in 1992 and they currently live in Kerwood and attend the Grace Canadian Reformed church there. They were blessed with three daughters who attended and graduated from Providence. Two of their daughters are married and they have been blessed with 2 grand daughters. Mrs. Wattel has served the Providence school community in many capacities through the years - as librarian, bus driver, and volunteer admin assistant, to name a few. After taking a year off from Providence when her youngest daughter graduated, she missed the school community so much that she came back as an EA in 2018.

Ms. Xu

Mrs. Phoebe Xu was born in Wuhan, China and completed her B.Eng. in Materials at Wuhan University of Technologies. In 1995, Mrs. Xu moved to Detroit, Michigan, where she completed her M.Eng. in Chemical Engineering at the University of Detroit Mercy. In 1999, Mrs. Xu moved to Canada and completed her B.Ed. at the University of Windsor. She then taught at Maranatha Christian Academy for over 18 years and completed an additional Honors Specialization in Chemistry in 2018. Mrs. Xu was introduced to Jesus in 1980s during her studies in China and eventually became a Christian in 1995. Her son was born shortly after her move to Canada and is currently studying at Western University. Mrs. Xu teaches Chemistry, Sciences, and Math.