AUGUSTA -- St. Michael School has a new principal.

Jon Caron, the former principal of Union Elementary School and assistant principal of D.R. Gaul Middle School, which share a building in Union, was hired to take over Augusta's Catholic elementary school following the retirement of Sister Rachel Boucher.

Caron is a man of faith, but, unlike Boucher, not a member of a religious order.

"There just isn't a pool out there" of educational leaders who are also members of religious orders, said the Rev. Louis Phillips, pastor of St. Michael Parish.

Caron has been a parishioner at Sacred Heart in Hallowell for many years.

Prior to taking the principal's job in Union three years ago, Caron served as assistant principal at A.D. Gray Middle School in Waldoboro.

Before moving into school administration, he taught at D. R. Gaul Middle School in Union and at Berlin Regional Catholic School in Berlin, N.H.

"A lot of neat things attracted me," to the job, Caron, 37, said. "With the merger of the two schools, a lot of unique opportunities go along with that. A lot of excitement goes along with that as well."

In 2007, two Augusta Catholic schools -- St. Augustine and St. Mary's -- merged into one, the St. Michael School.

The school has about 360 children, from preschool to eighth grade.

Caron and his wife, Kerry, and two children live in Manchester. He grew up in Hallowell.

He's replacing Sister Rachel Boucher, who retired after last school year. Boucher was a principal for 38 years, the past 18 of those in Augusta. She spent 17 years at St. Augustine School.

Phillips said Boucher offered to be of service to the new principal.

She and Sister Joan Desmarais, who also retired after a long local teaching career, both plan to remain active in the church and live in the convent in Augusta.

"Sister Rachel has been a tremendous presence in the building and I'll have some very large shoes to fill," said Caron, who started July 1. "Things are going just fine. There is always an adjustment. The staff seem very nice, I'm sure they'll step up to give me a hand as well."

Caron holds a master's degree in educational leadership from the University of Maine and a bachelor's degree in English from Saint Anslem's College.

Phillips said Caron was the unanimous choice of the selection committee, out of eight applicants for the job.

Keith Edwards -- 621-5647

kedwards@centralmaine.com