Dr. Karen DeLano, ACS superintendent candidate

Daniel Chesser-The Auburn Villager Dr. Karen Teague DeLano, was interviewed by members of the community Tuesday morning at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce. If selected, she will replace the retiring Dr. Terry Jenkins.

The interview process to hire the next Auburn City Schools superintendent started this week and will wrap up Feb. 7. Each week, The Auburn Villager will profile one of the three candidates for the position.

Dr. Karen Teague DeLano was the first of the top three candidates to be interviewed for the superintendant position that will be vacant once Dr. Terry Jenkins retires.

DeLano is serving as the Assistant Superintendent for Vestavia Hills City Schools and has recently been named as Alabama's Outstanding Curriculum Leader for 2010 by the Alabama Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. However, she has strong ties to Auburn.

"I started my first educational experience here in Auburn as an elementary student at Cary Woods," DeLano said. "I finally feel like I have an opportunity to come back to a school system that gave so much to me over my lifetime."

Each year, AASCD recognizes one leader in the state for "outstanding curriculum development, advancement, or implementation."

The award honored DeLano for her achievement as a catalyst for the Vestavia Hills City Schools' prioritization of a rigorous curriculum framework.

DeLano obtained her B.S., M.S., and Ed.D. degrees from Auburn University.

She has worked as a teacher in elementary classrooms, served as the Curriculum Coordinator for Elmore County Schools (1981-1989), as Principal of Shades Cahaba Elementary in Homewood (1989-2000), and as Assistant Superintendent in Vestavia schools since 2000.

DeLano is also an adjunct professor of educational leadership at Samford University teaching finance, strategic planning, and professional development frameworks and serves on the Leadership Advisory Council for the University of Montevallo.

She supervises eight Vestavia schools and more than 500 teachers.

The next interview will be of Dr. Pam Henson from Baldwin County on Tuesday, Jan. 31.