Acting superintendent’s choice for vice principal is Suozzo.
By Ruth Luse
Patricia Coats, acting principal of Timberlane Middle School since November, has been recommended for the permanent position of principal.
Acting Superintendent Judy Ferguson also has recommended Anthony J. Suozzo for vice principal of the 989-student middle school.
Mr. Suozzo, formerly the district supervisor of wellness education, has been serving as acting vice principal since November. He filled the position Ms. Coats vacated in order to take over as acting principal.
Ms. Coats’ temporary assignment was made following the departure of former principal Steve Cochrane, who left Timberlane for a district-level position in Monmouth County.
Dr. Ferguson made her recommendations to the Board of Education at its agenda meeting Monday. Action probably will take place at the board’s regular meeting on April 25, which also is the date of the annual reorganization meeting.
In deciding to recommend the Ms. Coats, Dr. Ferguson said the feedback from faculty, parents and students on Ms. Coats’ tenure at the helm at Timberlane "was considerable and overwhelmingly positive," the news release said.
"Over the past five months Pat has proven herself as a strong and respected leader and passionate advocate for her students and staff," Dr. Ferguson said. "We currently have in place just the kind of team the middle school needs in order to move forward."
Strong leadership at Timberlane "is particularly important in the coming year as construction is scheduled to begin on a major addition to the overcrowded middle school. Ten new classrooms, new science labs, gym and locker rooms, as well as a new roof and major renovations to the nurse’s station and cafetorium, are in the works. New construction is set to begin this summer," according to the news release.
Ms. Coats was involved with the school’s transition from a junior high school to its current middle school model a decade ago. A one-time market researcher for the Gallup Organization, Ms. Coats has a bachelor’s degree in English from Wake Forest University and a master’s degree in education from Converse College in Spartanburg, S.C. She also holds a master’s degree in education administration from Rider University. She lives in Pennington.
Mr. Suozzo began his career in Hopewell Valley in 1997 when he was assigned to Hopewell Elementary to teach physical education. He moved to Central High School full-time the following year. In February 2004 he was named special assistant to the principal when then-CHS principal John W. Bach was simultaneously serving as assistant district superintendent.
A resident of Flemington, Ms. Suozzo holds a master’s degree in educational administration from Rider University and a bachelor’s degree from Elizabethtown College. He coached varsity boys soccer and tennis at CHS for four years and was a three-time Coach of the Year winner.

