The OCDSB Board of Trustees is very pleased to announce it has appointed OCDSB Executive Officer Michele Giroux to serve as Director of Education and Secretary of the Board on an interim basis, effective January 9, 2023.
The appointment was necessary as a result of the upcoming departure of current Director of Education, Camille Williams-Taylor.
“It is fortunate that we have a talented and dedicated senior team at this time of organizational change. Michele has been a very active member of that team for over 17 years and brings a wealth of skills and experience to the role. Michele’s appointment brings stability, credibility, and continuity to the important work of the school district, and, in particular, will support the newly-elected Board of Trustees in developing our next strategic plan,” said Lyra Evans, chair of the OCDSB Board of Trustees.
Michele will serve in the role of Director until a permanent candidate is selected by the Board of Trustees later in 2023. In the weeks ahead, the Board will announce plans for a comprehensive search for a new Director of Education. That process will include opportunities for the community to provide input about the director role and profile. As part of its commitment to equitable recruitment and hiring, the Board confirmed that any persons interested in applying to the comprehensive search were not considered for the interim appointment.
In response to the appointment, Michele said “The OCDSB is an exceptional organization with more than 10,000 employees who work tirelessly to support student learning and well-being. This is a tremendous opportunity and I am grateful for the trust and confidence of the Board of Trustees and the support of my colleagues. Over the next six months, I look forward to actively engaging in conversation with students, staff, families and the broader community to support the work in schools and classrooms and to inform the development of the district’s next strategic plan.”
About Michele Giroux
Michele Giroux has been a member of the OCDSB senior team since 2005. In her role as Executive Officer (Corporate Services), Michele has a demonstrated track record in communications, corporate strategy, board governance, project management, research, and privacy and information management. Michele is recognized as a thoughtful and caring leader, known for building empowered and diverse teams.
A graduate of Carleton University, Michele studied Political Science and Canadian Studies. She started her career as an Education Advisor with the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and has worked for many years in municipal government. Prior to joining the OCDSB, Michele owned her own consulting practice, providing education, training, and implementation strategies to clients including municipalities, provincial and federal organizations.
At the OCDSB, Michele has been instrumental in supporting the organization’s ability to move from strategy to practice. This was demonstrated in her role as the Executive Project Champion of “Valuing Voices – Identity Matters! “ a research project to collect identity-based data where she was able to balance the legislative, research, policy, and operational requirements of the data collection, while ensuring the focus of the work was built on the lived experiences of students, staff, and families.
Michele’s additional training and certifications include the Osgoode Certificate in Human Rights for Education Professionals; Diversity and Inclusion and Unconscious Bias Training; Cultural Proficiency, and an Emotional Intelligence for Personal Leadership & Facilitator Accreditation.