The newly appointed acting director of the Toronto District School Board is promising to restore public confidence in the system after a top official was forced to resign after being implicated in a plagiarism scandal.

Donna Quan made the comment Friday in her first public remarks since being chosen to succeed Chris Spence as the top boss of the TDSB.

“This past week has been a little bit stormy but the storm shall pass,” said Quan, a 25-year veteran of the TDSB. “We will have to work hard at restoring public confidence in one of the finest education systems in the world, but I intend to do that by putting the focus on teaching and learning and fine facilities in a fiscally responsible way.”

Spence resigned last Thursday after admitting to plagiarizing portions of an op-ed piece that ran in the Toronto Star on Jan. 5.

After two marathon meetings, TDSB trustees then appointed Quan to fill the role on an interim basis on Wednesday.

Quan has served as the deputy director of the TDSB for the past two and a half years. Prior to that, she occupied a number of other positions within the TDSB, including that of elementary school teacher and principal.

“We must move forward and ensure that our students are provided with the best and most optimal learning opportunities possible,” Quan said Friday. “One of my key focus areas is to ensure stability across the system. The public must have confidence that there is a love and joy for learning in every single youngster that comes through our doors.”

TDSB Chair Chris Bolton has said that a search will be conducted for a permanent director at some point in the future.

Asked if she would be interested in the job on Friday, Quan refused to say.

“It’s my first day on the job and my focus is just on uniting the team further and delivering the best educational service for our students,” she said. “My mind hasn’t turned in that direction yet.”

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