Salina Diocese Catholic Schools

The Salina Diocese welcomes back Will Allen, as he takes the leadership role at St. Joseph Catholic Church and School, Oakley, KS.

Have a great year!

Meet Principal Will Allen!

Will grew up in Brewster, Kansas, and attended Benedictine College, where he earned a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. He later earned a master's degree in Education Administration from Fort Hays State University.

Will has served in Catholic education throughout his professional career. He began as a classroom teacher at Sacred Heart School in Colby, where he taught second and fifth grade, before serving as Assistant Principal at Magdalen Catholic School in Wichita. He is passionate about Catholic education and is committed to supporting teachers, partnering with families, and fostering academic and spiritual growth in every student.

Will is currently serving as Principal of St. Joseph's School. He is grateful for the opportunity to return to the Diocese of Salina and looks forward to continuing the mission of Catholic education within the St. Joseph community.

Will and his wife, Katie, have four children: Rosalie, Jackson, Pio, and Thomas. Their family is excited to return to northwest Kansas and become part of the St. Joseph community. Outside of school, Will enjoys reading, playing volleyball, and spending time with family and friends around a great board game.

Be sure you're following Salina Diocese to get to know our school leaders!

Patti Park is principal at St. Mary's School-Ellis!

Have a great school year.

Meet Patti Park!

Patti was born in Denver and grew up in Northglenn, Colorado. She moved to northwest KS during high school when her dad wanted to take over the family farm. She received a BS in Elementary Education while attending FHSU. While teaching for many years at Roosevelt Elementary in Hays, she obtained her Masters in Education Administration from FHSU. She continued to teach for 31 years before being called to serve as the principal of St. Mary’s in Ellis. Patti and husband, Allen, have four children, two grandsons, and are parishioners of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Hays. Patti enjoys spending time with family, movies, mowing, baking, and watching football.

A Letter from Superintendent Geoff Andrews

As our schools begin the '26-'27 school year, we are strengthening expectations for personal devices in accordance with Kansas’s new Bell-to-Bell Ban.

This is about helping students be fully present in faith, learning, and friendship.

Read Superintendent Geoff Andrews’ letter at the link in the comments. ⬇️

🟢GO!

Catholic school leaders from our diocese gathered for a day of prayer, fellowship, learning, and preparation for the year ahead.

Rooted in Christ and strengthened by one another, our principals are ready to lead our schools forward in faith and excellence.

Read more and see highlights from the day below!

Dr. Nick Compagnone continues to be very involved in private education. His service to CAPE (Council for American Private Education) has kept him busy in "retirement." Most recently he presented at the CAPE Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he shared his expertise and collaborated with Catholic education leaders from across the country.

Nick's leadership, vision, and commitment to excellence continue to strengthen our schools here in the Diocese of Salina while also helping shape conversations that benefit private and Catholic schools nationwide. We are grateful for the many ways he shares his gifts in service to Catholic education.

Thank you, Nick, for your dedication and for representing our diocese so well. Safe travels home!

⏳The Gift of Time

Summer is moving quickly. Before long, school supplies will fill the shelves, routines will return, and another school year will begin.

Let's encourage families to embrace one of God's greatest gifts: time.

Time for faith.

Time for family.

Time for friendship.

Time for prayer, Adoration, service, and simply being present to one another.

Take a little time and read the article from Geoff Andrews, Superintendent of Schools.
https://salinadiocese.org/news-and-updates/the-gift-of-time/

🌅 Sunsets, Saints, and Summer Adventures 🌅

What if this summer was about a little less screen time and a little more sunshine?

Our latest article invites families to unplug, explore, serve, pray, and discover God's presence in the everyday moments of summer.

After you've read it, tell us:

☀️ How does your family unplug during the summer?

☀️ What summer traditions or adventures are you looking forward to most?

Share your ideas in the comments and inspire other families across the Diocese of Salina!

https://salinadiocese.org/news-and-updates/sunsets-saints-and-summer-adventures/