Editor’s note: This is the third in a series of stories featuring some Suffolk Public Schools principals.

After 10 years at Oakland Elementary School, and even longer with Suffolk Public Schools, Suzanne Moore is trying something new – leading a high school.

“This opportunity is offering me the chance to take my leadership to another level,” Moore said.

Since 1998, Moore has been the principal of Oakland Elementary School. She also has worked at Southwestern, Elephant’s Fork and John F. Kennedy schools. She now is the new principal of King’s Fork High School. With this position, she said, “I’ll have K-12 under my belt.”

Moore knew from early on that she wanted to be an educator. When she was a child, her mother worked in a different school division from where she attended school. When Moore was off from school, she went to work with her mother and watched the teachers go about their business. It was during those days that her passion for teaching started to grow.

“My love is instruction,” she said. Although she’s not teaching anymore, being a principal still allows her to be involved in the classroom.

“I can have an impact on more educators,” she said.

Moore went to Radford University for her bachelor’s degree, then received her master’s at Old Dominion University and a doctorate at the University of Virginia. She initially wanted to be a high school social studies teacher, but was advised against it because “they’re a dime a dozen.”

Now that she’s made it this far, she has no plans for stopping, she said.

“When I got my doctorate, I knew then that I wasn’t going to retire as a principal,” she said. Her ultimate goal is to be a superintendent some day.

However, as for more immediate goals, she’ll stick with making sure King’s Fork High School meets Adequate Yearly Progress this school year.

“We have to stay fully accredited, and we need to make AYP,” she said.

For Moore, the biggest challenge about the new level is the time factor.

“There’s so much to do at this level,” she said. “I don’t have enough time in the day.”

However, the time issue is compensated for by the greatest joy of education – the students.

“My favorite part is interacting with the kids,” she said. “Seeing their success stories.

“Although I’m going to miss elementary school, I think I’m going to really enjoy this age level.”

As for her staff, Moore said she’s thrilled with them.

“This is a good staff,” she said. “One of my goals this year is to get the good word out to the community … that this is a great school.”

“This is a great school system. That’s why I’m still here.”