He survived his inaugural board meeting, even commenting he'd had a "pretty good first day" as trustees voted to approve months to celebrate Somali and Islamic heritage as well as Pride.

Newly elected Trustee Chris Moise attended his first meeting as a trustee of the Toronto District School Board on Wednesday, after easily winning a byelection in Toronto Centre-Rosedale with more than a third of all votes cast earlier in the week.

His election fills the vacant seat of veteran trustee Sheila Ward, who died earlier this year.

In previous elections, Moise ran a close second to Ward, and this time around earned the endorsement of two local heavy-hitters — city Councillors Pam McConnell and Kristyn Wong-Tam — as well as the Toronto high school teachers’ union (OSSTF) and the support staff union (CUPE).

His closest competitor, Li Koo, had the Liberal nod, with support from local MPP Glen Murray, MP Chrystia Freeland, as well as former Toronto board chair and MPP Donna Cansfield.

The ward, which includes schools from Regent Park to Rosedale, was held for two decades by Ward, who died unexpectedly in February.

The Ward 14 byelection is one of four the board will hold — and pay for — this year, with a $1 million price tag.

The board, in total, has 22 trustees and now, with Moise’s election, more than half sitting around the boardroom table are first-timers.

After winning Monday night, with 36 per cent of the 6,050 votes cast, Moise said he was “honoured to be the new trustee” for the ward and that he plans on being a strong voice for students, parents and the community.

He ran for the position in 2010 and 2014, and said “I've been told the third time's a charm, and there's some truth to it because I'm now the trustee.”

Moise works as an addictions and mental health counsellor at St. Michael's Hospital and is also a small business owner.

He has said he sought the position because “I believe that we need to think of schools as the heart of our communities. We should invest in education to ensure that young people can, in turn, invest in their communities’ future.

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“In order for downtown neighbourhoods to thrive, we need to offer incentives for young families to live and raise their children downtown. Schools are important not only for parents and children, but for anyone who cares about the future of downtown. If young families are forced to move to suburban areas, then we will all suffer — economically and socially.”

Voter turnout for the byelection was low, as is typical for school board positions, at just 6.4 per cent.