Former Toronto city councillor and current Scarborough school trustee Neethan Shan has been acclaimed chair of the Toronto District School Board.
Shan is the Ward 17 trustee (Scarborough Centre) and has been serving as acting TDSB chair since July.
The first chair of South Asian descent for the 22-member board, Shan said he looks forward to collaborating with trustees to strengthen student achievement, foster a sense of belonging, and spread joy throughout schools and communities.
At TDSB's operational meeting this week, the board also elected a new vice-chair, trustee Zakir Patel.
Patel was first elected Ward 19 trustee (Scarborough–Guildwood) in 2018. Shan is a previous president of the Ontario NDP and unsuccessfully ran for provincial office several times under that party's banner.
Over the last year, Patel has served as chair of the TDSB’s finance, budget and enrollment committee, as a director of the Toronto Lands Corp., and as a member of the board’s negotiations steering committee, the board said in a release.
Patel said he is dedicated to youth empowerment and ensuring schools are safe and healthy and that he looks forward to continued advocacy for equity and is committed to voicing the concerns of students, staff and families.
For more on the board visit www.tdsb.on.ca/boardroom.
