ROCKVILLE, Md. — The school year opened Monday with new leadership at one of the region’s highest-performing institutions, following the sudden death this month of Michael Doran, the beloved principal of Thomas S. Wootton High School.

“To lose someone like that, [who’s] not just a leader of a school, but a leader in the community, is very difficult to replace,” said Craig Rice, Montgomery County Council member and chairman of the Education Committee.

Doran led Wootton for 12 years. He died Aug. 15 in his Bethesda home at the age of 64.

Kimberly Boldon has been named acting principal for the year at the Rockville high school.

A county schools spokesman says Boldon worked closely for Dr. Doran as an assistant principal. Given Doran’s death so close to the start of the school year, school officials sought continuity with the appointment of Boldon to lead the school for the entire school year.

“That community is very tight knit,” Rice said. “I know that they’ll work together with the new principal coming in and they will be able to achieve some continued great things.”

The process of naming Doran’s permanent replacement will open in the spring.