MICHELLE TEIXEIRA wanted to be a teacher since she was six years old. In 2003, she graduated from Queen’s University and began her teaching career. She has worked for the TDSB since 2004 at CW Jefferies CI, Leaside HS and Eastern Commerce CI. Currently, she is serving as President for the OSSTF Toronto Teacher Bargaining Unit.
Michelle has been active in OSSTF since she began teaching with the TDSB in 2004. In her first year of teaching, her branch president tapped her on the shoulder and encouraged her to get involved. Michelle began her OSSTF activism as a member of the Branch Executive at CW Jefferies and a member of the District 12 Gay-Straight Alliance.
When Michelle moved to Leaside High School she became the branch president (2005-2009), motivating teaching staff to get more involved and dealing strategically with an administration that was often difficult. As Branch president she developed and honed the member representation skills that are essential to the role of Executive Officer.
Throughout her teaching career Michelle has been a member of almost every OSSTF Toronto committee, including Constitution and Steering, Status of Women, Gay-Straight Alliance, Communications and Political Action. She has served as Chair at TTBU council meetings and the TTBU Annual General Meeting. She was chair of the Status of Women committee for one year. She has been involved in numerous political campaigns at the municipal, provincial and federal level. In 2009, Michelle received the Award of Merit for meritorious and outstanding service to OSSTF.
Michelle is also a very active member of OSSTF provincially. She has been a delegate at the Annual Meeting of the Provincial Assembly for 12 years, and has also acted as a delegation whip. She served as a member of the Provincial Status of Women committee for 4 years. Michelle was also a member of the writing team and lead presenter for three Ministry of Education funded, provincially designed workshops based on equity issues and sexual harassment. She has attended provincial Collective Bargaining Conferences and Leadership training. Currently, Michelle represents the D12 TTBU as a Provincial Councillor and member of the Nominations committee. She served as PC liaison to the Educational Services Committee for two years. In 2015, Michelle was elected OTF Governor and in 2017 she was elected as OTF Table Officer, serving on the Executive Board of the Ontario Teacher’s Federation.
In 2011, Michelle was honoured to be elected as an Executive Officer for the OSSTF Toronto Teacher Bargaining Unit. She was re-elected in 2012 and served as an Executive Officer for six and a half years. In January 2018 she was elected as Vice President, a role in which she served until she became President in July 2021.
Email: mteixeira@osstftoronto.ca
Phone: 416 393 8900 ext. 239
Responsibilities
- Communications/Social Media/Media Relations
- Equity, Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression Officer
- Community Relations
- Provincial Councillor
- TDSB Meetings
- TDSB Trustee Meetings
- Campaign for Public Education Executive Liaison Back-Up
- Office Staff Manager Back-Up
- Black, Indigenous and Worker of Colour Committee Back-Up