MEET OUR TEAM
Jake Dyck
Jake has been involved in education for almost 25 years, with experience teaching in Christian schools in western Canada, in Red Deer Public schools in Alberta and with a Christian school in Central Asia. Jake is trained and spent many of his years teaching as a middle school teacher and holds a Master of Science in school leadership, having been a head of school for five years. Currently he works from TeachBeyond as the Associate National Director in Canada and serves on the School Services team providing support to partner schools. He is passionate about Christ-centered education for all children, working together with the church and supporting the role of parents.
Greg Needham
While leading a large Church expansion in metro Vancouver and simultaneously working in missions as an educational business consultant, God put the not-so-new idea of blending the Church and Christian education, on Greg’s heart. Greg’s enthusiasm for parenting, holistic education, the co-curricular, and Christ have culminated in his desire to see God move in Canada, to see Churches and families transform their communities and society through the work of the Holy Spirit. Greg Needham MBA, M.Ed, lives in Metro Vancouver with his wife, a public ELL teacher. He has two married daughters and two grandsons. He has worked in education his entire life, and has spent most of his career serving churches, Christian universities, schools, or municipalities in the areas of operations, strategic planning, development, communications, and facilities.
Colleen Allan
Colleen Allan is a dedicated educator with 34 years of experience in education. She has witnessed the rapidly changing world of youth and understands the need for intentional and transformative Christian education. Colleen holds degrees from Canadian Bible College, University of Alberta, and Regent University. For the past 32 years, she has been at Glenmore Christian Academy in Calgary where she now serves as Junior High Principal. Colleen is committed to fostering a solid academic foundation, coupled with a focus on nurturing students’ spiritual and personal growth. She is passionate about guiding young people in a world vastly different from just a few years ago, while always relying on the unchanging truth and hope of God. Colleen and her husband Randy have two adult boys who are proud alumni of Glenmore, further enriching her understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by today’s families. Through her expertise, educational background, and deep faith, Colleen endeavours to inspire and shape the future of generations to come on God’s sure foundation.
Paul Johnson
After completing his education in 1982 at Simon Fraser University, Paul embarked on his teaching career in the Langley, B.C., school district. However, in 1983, he responded to the call to Christian Education and joined the team at Regent Christian Academy, a church-based K-12 school in its early stages. In 1993, Paul took on the role of Principal, and over the years, the Academy experienced remarkable growth. It expanded its offerings with the addition of a thriving international program and a Distributed Learning (online) division. Paul devoted his career and leadership as the CEO of the Regent Christian Academy Society until his retirement in December, 2021. Highlights of his career were establishing a robust student mission program, and building and supporting church-based schools in various foreign countries. Paul actively engages in board service for multiple societies and provides consultation services to Christian organizations. Paul’s primary aspiration in Christian Education is to ensure that each student has a transformative encounter with Jesus. Paul and his wife Eleanor reside in Surrey B.C. and have a blended family of five children and seven grandchildren.
Howard Dueck
After attending Providence University College and Theological Seminary, Howard and his wife Eileen joined TeachBeyond, which was Janz Team at the time, in 1988, serving 10 years in Brazil and 12 years in Germany. Howard’s ministry experience has involved counselling, teaching, preaching, mentoring, and leadership. Howard’s calling to education as mission was deepened through a dream in 2003 to focus on those with least access to education. TeachBeyond partners around the world, and now here in Canada, with those seeking to provide Christ-centred education. The Duecks live south of Winnipeg, where Eileen is a local school music teacher and from where Howard serves as executive vice-president of TeachBeyond. Their two married adult daughters and their husbands, as well as their first grandchild, live nearby.
Jourdan Gray
As a mother of two young children, Jourdan desires to have transformative educational options for her children that build character, create a passion of lifelong learning, nurture their faith, and is centered on Scripture in all they learn and do. Jourdan taught English as a Second Language to newcomers to Canada for seven years in a variety of different programs in Manitoba and British Columbia. She has also been a part of leading an online English outreach program during Covid, which served ESL students globally. She attended Providence University College and Theological Seminary in Manitoba where she completed her undergrad and Masters of Arts in Global Studies and TESOL. She plans to do a hybrid homeschooling option in the next few years in Vancouver, B.C., where she lives with her husband, four-year-old son, and two-year-old daughter.
Len & Mary Reed
Life for Len began in Thailand, born to missionary parents and attending school in Malaysia as a child. When his parents returned from Thailand they settled in Saskatchewan where Len’s education continued at Caronport. Mary grew up in Ontario in the public school system. They both attended Briercrest Bible College and received bachelor’s degrees in Christian Education, Music, and Biblical Studies. Len continued on to receive a Master’s in Theological Studies from Tyndale Seminary in Toronto. Their two oldest boys attended public school in Toronto for their first few years and then the Lord called them to serve at Black Forest Academy in Germany. Having served in Germany and England as dorm parents, facilities manager, church administrator for expats and then Sanctuary (a ministry to host missionaries and Christian workers) they have been part of the
educational world for the past 26 years serving both teachers, parents and children. They are thankful that their children also benefited from Christian education at Black Forest Academy and graduated to go on to receive Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in teaching. Len also has been a part of two boards that promote the advancement of Christian Education, EurECA (European Educators Christian Asso.) and CATE (Christians Advancing Transformational Education). They are now located in Kelowna, B.C. and have been asked to promote and bathe CCEM in prayer. We are firm believers that in any new initiative prayer must be the first resource of advancement.
Harold Klassen
Harold was called to be a missionary teacher in 1968. After studying at Simon Fraser University and theology at Canadian Bible College, Harold taught two years in a public school in Saskatchewan before he and his wife, Betty, went to Germany in 1977 to teach at Black Forest Academy. Harold had multiple roles at BFA, such as teacher, principal, IT director, and more before leaving BFA in 1998 to work with the German Janz Team and completing a Master of Science in Education from Cairn University. He became a global educational consultant, and began maintaining a website with resources for Christian teachers, transformingteachers.org. In 2011 the Klassens moved back to Canada and settled in Abbotsford, B.C. Harold continues his passion to teach about how all of life and learning relates to God and His word. He is an adjunct instructor of Education as Mission in Prairie College’s online Master of Leadership program and actively involved with various groups seeking to provide Christ-in education around the world. The Klassens have four children and eight grandchildren.
