Donna Quan leaving Toronto District School Board

Donna Quan is leaving her post at the Toronto District School Board, ending a tumultuous term atop the country's largest school board. 

Quan will leave on Dec. 14, some 18 months before her contract expires, the TDSB said Monday.

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She will take up a new position with a joint venture between York University and Ontario's Ministry of Education.

Quan said she's leaving with "mixed emotion" during a news conference Monday evening. 

"I'm so immensely proud of the Toronto District School Board, our staff and our students … this is a premier organization." 

Quan's tenure was marked by controversy, including what one retiring trustee described as a "rift" between Quan, her staff and the rest of the board. She was also criticized for resisting calls to reveal the details of her contract. 

The board was the subject of a scathing report earlier this year, written at the behest of Education Minister Liz Sandals, that described in great detail the TDSB's "culture of fear" and dysfunction. That report led to talk of breaking it up into smaller boards. 

Quan was also alleged to be the victim of an incident last year that saw TDSB trustee Howard Goodman charged with forcible confinement and criminal harassment. Quan did not comment on the case and the charges were later dropped. 

On Monday Quan side-stepped questions about her rocky tenure, pointing instead to what she considers the board's improvements with reading, writing and math programs. 

The TDSB said an interim replacement will be appointed next month. 

"Donna has been a passionate and committed advocate for public education for more than 30 years," TDSB chair Robin Pilkey said in a statement. "It has been a pleasure working with her and I wish her all the best as she moves to the next chapter of her career."