AUBURN — Two Auburn elementary schools have new principals, replacing one who retired and another who was promoted to assistant superintendent.

At Fairview Elementary School, former special education teacher and Assistant Principal Celeste Beaudet is principal, replacing Cathy Folan, who retired.

At the Walton Elementary School, longtime music teacher Michael Davis is the new principal, replacing Michelle McClellan, who is now assistant superintendent.

Davis started working as principal when school opened this fall. “I feel like I’ve walked into my dream job,” he said.

He was music teacher at Sherwood Heights school in Auburn for 17 years and has directed summer camps at Camp Susan Curtis in Stoneham and Birch Rock Camp in Waterford for years.

As camp director, “I got a taste of running the show.”

Named the Maine Elementary Music Teacher of the Year in 2008, Davis said he enjoyed teaching, but it was time to look at the bigger picture.

Walton “is a special place with a lot of strong staff,” caring families and students, he said. Davis comes across as an outgoing, friendly educator. He’s quick to praise students for what they’re doing right. He described his leadership style as a shared one, asking faculty and students what they’d like in their school and how to achieve that.

He praised the school’s climate as one that receives strong support from families. The fall open house was attended by 360 people. “That’s a very high turnout,” he said, considering the school’s enrollment is 286.

His goal is to continue working with teachers, families and students, helping each student have success “and continue the customized learning.”

Davis grew up in the Mount Desert area and received several degrees from the University of Southern Maine. He’s married to Sue Davis, a guidance counselor at Fairview school in Auburn. They have two children.

At Fairview, Beaudet, 45, said serving as principal was a natural progression when the former principal retired.

“Leading is about motivating others, pushing for continuous improvement and influencing change,” she said. “In this position, that’s what I will try to do.”

Her overall goal is for each of her 543 students to feel safe, “excited about learning, meeting each kid where they’re at, helping them to be the best they can be.”

She’s taught in Auburn since 1992 when she became a special education teacher. During the past five years, she was assistant principal.

“I am deeply committed to Fairview,” she said. “I love the families, the staff, the students.” When her two daughters were younger, they attended Fairview. “They came to school with me,” she said with a smile.

On Tuesday, as she walked down the hall, she was stopped by 15 to 20 kindergartners who wanted to show her their art. That, she said, was the highlight of her day. “Kids love to share their learning. I love it when to do that.”

Beaudet grew up in Lewiston, graduated from the University of Maine at Farmington and from Saint Joseph’s College. “For as long as I can remember, I wanted to go into teaching,” she said. “I’ve had some great role models along the way.

Beaudet lives in Auburn and is engaged. One of her daughters attends the Auburn Middle School, the other Edward Little High School.

McClellan, 53, said the 10 years she was principal at Walton Elementary was “a dream job.” After 10 years at Walton, she left because she wanted a bigger challenge providing help for all of Auburn’s 3,625 students.

“It was time,” she said. “I enjoy problem solving at the school and district level,” McClellan said.

She began working as the assistant superintendent in July, replacing Keith Laser, who is now school superintendent in Calais.

Her overall goal, “which is why I’m in Auburn, always has been on student achievement, assuring that every child comes in every day and has a high quality education.”

The best part of her central office job, she said, is working across the district to help students at all levels.

The toughest part is the learning curve. At Walton, “I was doing something I was confident at. I was used to being able to move quickly. Now I have to gear down. There are a lot of questions.”

As assistant superintendent she works with students and families having problems. That could be students having difficulty in school, students who are homeless or families of truant students. “I am part of that process. We try to problem solve before we go to the law,” she said.

McClellan also works with human resource areas with staff, which could include union contracts, and also helps develop curriculum and programs.

One area she’s working on is customized learning, which involves new ways of teaching so every student gets individual learning. Working with curriculum director Shelly Mogul, McClellan will monitor the program’s accountability, she said.

McClellan came to Auburn in 1999 as a consulting teacher, helping with curriculum and professional development. She previously was the special education director in Gray. Before that, she monitored local school compliance with federal and state regulations with the Maine Department of Education.

McClellan started her career teaching in Portland; Rhinebeck, N.Y.; and North Little Rock, Ark.

She graduated from the University of Maine at Farmington and the University of Maine. She’s married, the mother of two grown children and lives in Raymond.

McClellan’s annual salary is $93,000, Davis and Beaudet are each paid $77,351.

Superintendent Katy Grondin said all three are committed to the school department’s vision. “We are fortunate to have people in our district dedicated to improving the educational opportunities for our students and have stepped forward to take leadership roles.”

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