Superintendent Del Burns
Dr. Adelphos John (Del) Burns began his career with the Wake County Public School System in 1976 as an LD Resource Teacher at Aldert Root Elementary School. Since then he has served in a variety of teaching and administrative positions before being named WCPSS's seventh superintendent.
Burns taught students with special needs at the elementary and high school levels before becoming a special programs supervisor for WCPSS from 1979 to 1982. He served as assistant principal at W. G. Enloe Magnet High School from 1982 to 1984, and then returned to the same position from 1987 to 1990 after three years in the private sector. Burns became principal of Washington GT Magnet Elementary School in 1990, then led East Wake High School from 1992 to 1995.
Burns left WCPSS to become assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction for Pitt County Schools from 1995 to 1997. He rejoined WCPSS in 1997 to become principal of Millbrook High School, and was brought on as associate superintendent for administrative services in April 2000. He was promoted to deputy superintendent in July 2003.
Burns earned his doctorate in educational leadership from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in 1992. He holds a master's degree in Special Education from North Carolina State University (1977).
Burns is a member of the Board of Directors of the Wake Education Partnership, Communities in Schools, and the Capital Area Workforce Development Board. He is a member and past director of the Raleigh Kiwanis Club. He was Wake County Principal of the Year in 1999 and a Wachovia Regional Principal of the Year finalist in 2000. He is an adjunct professor of school finance at North Carolina State University and a founding member of the Capital City Connectors.