PVNC mourns death of beloved Clarington principal Gerard van den Wildenberg

Oct. 18, 2021,

St. Elizabeth CES principal served 28 years as PVNC educator

The Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington (PVNC) Catholic District School Board is mourning the loss of beloved principal Gerard van den Wildenberg, who passed away suddenly at his home Friday morning (Oct. 15, 2021).

On Monday, a prayer service was offered for staff and students at St. Elizabeth Catholic Elementary School in Bowmanville, where Gerard has been principal since 2018.

“As a Catholic community rooted in faith, we continue to pray for Gerard’s family and all the staff and students who have been affected by this heart-breaking news,” Director of Education Joan Carragher said. “Gerard was a dedicated educator and a true leader in our Board who always advocated for the needs of his students, staff and colleagues. He will be truly missed.”

A passionate proponent of Catholic education, Gerard served as a principal with PVNC for 16 years. He spent eight years as principal at Good Shepherd CES in Bowmanville and previously served principal roles at St. Mother Teresa CES in Courtice and St. Mary CES in Grafton.

Gerard earned his Bachelor of Education at the University of Toronto in 1993 and joined PVNC as a supply teacher that same year. He became a permanent classroom teacher at the former St. Stephen Catholic Elementary School in Bowmanville a year later.

Known for his sense of humour, Gerard was a popular colleague and served as past board president for the PVNC Catholic Principals’ Council of Ontario.

A reminder to all staff members affected by this loss, HumanaCare is ready to help, and they are aware of our loss. Please don’t hesitate to give them a call at any time if you need support, their team can arrange in-the-moment counselling or set up something face-to-face. HumanaCare can be reached at 1-800-661-8193, they are available to take your call 24/7.