The chair of the Greater Essex County District School Board (GECDSB) says she fears the board will soon be under provincial supervision or possibly dissolved.
Gale Simko-Hatfield made the comments Tuesday evening as she was re-elected by her peers to serve a fourth term as chair.
Simko-Hatfield said being chair of the board the past three years has not been easy.
She added at times it has been demanding and difficult.
"I don't see this changing anytime soon and I fear that in the near future this board of trustees may find itself under supervision or quite possibly non-existent," Simko-Hatfield said.
The GECDSB has faced challenges in recent years, from the board sanctioning its own trustees for conduct, to budget deficits requiring a multi-year financial recovery plan, and three trustees resigning over the past year.
Simko-Hatfield said the boardroom presented a challenging work environment.
"As much as I try to provide prudent and sensible guidance to the board, as a chair should, some trustees will choose and different and sometimes difficult path," she said.
Simko-Hatfield said she believed some trustees demonstrate better comprehension and acceptance of their duties and responsibilities than others.
"In my opinion some trustees have a stronger understanding of our mission, our values and priorities, and how these all align with good governance. In my opinion, some trustees are more mindful of how our public meetings impact confidence in our school board," she said.
On Wednesday, Bill 33, the province's education bill is expected to go to a final vote.
The bill gives the education minister, Paul Calandra, sweeping authority to appoint a supervisor to take control of school boards, effectively sidelining elected trustees.