Mark Kissel (he/him) has taught secondary and adult student’s geography, guidance, and music for close to 25 years with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). Most recently he was at Victoria Park CI, and previously taught at the Virtual Secondary School, Burnhamthorpe Adult Learning Centre, Silverthorn CI, Newtonbrook SS, CW Jefferys CI, and Parkdale CI. He has also taught summer school, been an AQ course designer and instructor, an adjunct professor at two universities, and wrote curriculum and exemplars for the TDSB in the arts and guidance. Mark has held multiple positions of responsibilities, coached and convened many sports, produced and conducted numerous arts productions, and advised several clubs and councils.
Mark has been involved with OSSTF since the start of his teaching career. At his schools, he has been a Branch President at two different locations, and was a Staff Workload Representative. He has organized local strike action activities, and served as a school Health and Safety Representative. With OSSTF Toronto Teachers’ Bargaining Unit, Mark has sat on all local committees: Chair of Elections Commission; Chair of Professional Development; elected Chair of Collective Bargaining; elected Member of Budget, and; Member (Rotating Chair) of Constitution and Steering. With the Toronto District, Mark was an elected District Executive Officer-at-Large; elected Member of Finance; Member of Constitution, and; Member of Communications and Political Action. He attended AMPA multiple times as an elected delegate/representative, and previously served as a whip.
Provincially with OSSTF/FEESO, Mark was an Election Organizer, a full-release position focusing on the June 2022 Provincial Election. He is a member of the Speakers Bank, chairing local and district bargaining unit meetings throughout the province, and mentoring new Speakers. Mark is also a presenter for two Educational Services workshops, Cultivating Resilience and Allyship, and is a former member of the Faculty of Education Advisory Workgroup, representing OSSTF to OISE/UT and the Ontario Teachers’ Federation (OTF), where he is also the former Chair of both the Teacher Education Liaison Committee at OISE/UT and the Teacher Liaison Committee for OTF. He currently serves as Chair of the Educational Services Committee, and is the past Chair of the Parliamentary and Constitution Council, where he helped steer AMPA and Provincial Council, and reviewed constitutions. Mark is an elected Provincial Councillor for the TTBU, and recently earned a Graduate Certificate in Labour Studies through the Labour College of Canada (Canadian Labour Congress) with the support of OSSTF/FEESO.
Outside of OSSTF, Mark is involved in municipal, provincial and federal politics, as a director on his provincial and secretary on his federal riding associations. He continues to support progressive candidates throughout the Greater Toronto/Hamilton Area.
Mark was honoured to be elected as an Executive Officer in May 2022, and re-elected in 2024 & 2026.
Email: mkissel@osstftoronto.ca
Phone: 416-393-8900 x 240
Responsibilities
- Constitution Officer
- Constitution/Steering Committee/AGM Liaison
- District Constitution Committee/DGM Liaison
- District Finance Committee Executive Liaison
- Grievances
- Labour Day Parade Coordinator
- Provincial Councillor
- Pregnancy, Parental, Adoption and Surrogacy Workshops (Back-up)
- Social Events Planning Coordinator
- Staffing Officer
- TTBU Alternate Heath & Safety Inspector
- TTBU Budget Committee Executive Liaison
- Toronto & York Region Labour Council Delegate
- Toronto & York Region Labour Council Education Committee Member
Schools
- Cedarbrae C. I.
- Central Technical School
- Dr. Norman Bethune C. I.
- Forest Hill C. I.
- Lakeshore C. I.
- Lester B. Pearson C. I.
- Monarch Park C. I.
- R.H. King Academy
- Runnymede C.I.
- School of Experiential Education (SEE)
- School of Life Experience (SOLE)
- Sir William Osler H.S.
- Stephen Leacock C.I.
- Subway Academy I
- Ursula Franklin Academy
- West End Alternative School
- West Humber C.I.
- Westview Centennial S. S.
- Winston Churchill C.I.