Michael Ross

Biography

Oklahoma Family Values Shaped Michael.

Michael Ross’s dad was a state employee who completed classes at night to become a Certified Public Accountant and, on weekends, refereed wrestling matches to make ends meet. His mother was a teacher until Michael was born, leading to her taking part-time secretarial work and substitute teaching before returning to the classroom when Michael and his brother were older.

Public Schools Gave Michael a Shot — And He Will Never Forget That.

From the time Michael was in elementary school, the Ross family had an active part in the life of Oklahoma’s public schools. By the time he was in junior high, Michael volunteered in grassroots campaigns to get bond issues passed in his hometown of Choctaw and, by his early 20s, Michael took an active leadership role in the success of these efforts. He was awarded a commendation for his commitment to education by the Choctaw/Nicoma Park School Board.

Michael is a product of Oklahoma’s public education system. After completing his K-12 education, he was able to attend the University of Central Oklahoma on scholarship as a member of the prestigious President’s Leadership Council, where he served until his graduation in 2003. That scholarship provided opportunities he’d never dreamed he would experience, and it was the support of his teachers and parents that would inform his commitment to passing opportunities on to young people later in his life.

Unafraid to Fight for What’s Right.

During the 2018 Oklahoma Teacher Walkout, Michael took an active role in lobbying the legislature to reverse a decade-long decline in funding and resources for classrooms. His passion for fighting for his students fueled him through those ++two weeks and seeing the status quo at the Capitol first-hand ignited a drive to fight for students like his on the campaign trail.

Hard Work, Humble Roots, and a Career of Service for Oklahoma’s Families.
Michael worked as a mobile home salesman while finishing his teaching credentials and then began a lengthy career as a public school teacher at his alma mater, Choctaw High School. During that first year, he and his wife Lindsay married. Their first home together was a single-wide in a mobile home park not far from where he taught.

16 years later, Michael is a respected career educator at Charles Page High School in Sand Springs, Oklahoma, where he has been honored with commendations including the Pacesetter Award and selection as the 2016-2017 Sand Springs Education Association Teacher of the Year. He and his family live in Tulsa Hills, and his daughter is a fifth grader in Jenks Public Schools.