My name is Catie Burnette and I am honored to be the Principal at Washington Gifted and Talented Magnet Elementary School. Upon graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a North Carolina Teaching Fellow, I taught first grade in rural Eastern North Carolina as part of the Teach for America corps. After getting married, I moved to Raleigh and continued my career in both first and second grade at Bugg Creative Arts and Science Magnet Elementary School. During my time at Bugg, I worked with beginning teachers, coached Girls on the Run, and worked as an A+ Fellow with the A+ Schools Program of NC. I was also selected as Teacher of the Year by my colleagues and was a semi-finalist for Wake County Schools during the 2015-16 school year.

Throughout my educational career, I have worked alongside many leaders who have shaped my values and beliefs. They helped me to also grow as a leader in and out of the classroom and encouraged me to further my education. I completed my Master's in School Administration at North Carolina State University and then became Assistant Principal at Hilburn Academy, WCPSS's only PreK-8th grade public school. In 2019, I was honored to be named Wake County Public Schools Assistant Principal of the Year. My husband, George, works as a Philanthropic and Charitable Strategist at First Citizens Bank. We live with our daughter in downtown Raleigh and enjoy trying new restaurants, spending time with friends, and going to Atlantic Beach with our family.

Alumni: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University (HOUSE DIVIDED)

Gifts & Talents: music, relationships, creative writing, art

My Favorite Children's Book: Last Stop on Market Street

My Favorite Quote: "Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?' " Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Twitter: @catie_burnette