By SALINA POST
The Catholic Diocese of Salina has earned a somewhat unique distinction: all of its schools have earned accreditation through Cognia, a non-profit educational accrediting organization.
"This makes the Salina Diocese the first diocese in the state of Kansas to have the schools be accredited as a whole instead of individually," the diocese noted in a news release.
"I am ecstatic that our schools received such high marks on the recent accreditation review. I know a lot of hard work by many people went in to make this possible. It is reaffirming to know our students are receiving a great education at our Catholic schools," said Bishop Gerald L. Vincke.
The diocese operates 15 schools in Abilene, Beloit, Colby, Ellis, Hanover, Hays, Junction City, Manhattan, Oakley, Plainville, Salina, Tipton, according to information on the diocese website. Counties included in the diocese are Cheyenne, Sherman, Wallace, Logan, Thomas, Rawlins, Decatur, Sheridan, Gove, Trego, Graham, Norton, Phillips, Rooks, Ellis, Russell, Osborne, Smith, Jewel, Mitchell, Lincoln, Ellsworth, Saline, Ottawa, Cloud, Republic, Washington, Clay, Dickinson, Geary, and Riley.
The process for the accreditation began in 2016, when former superintendent and principal of St. Mary’s Grade School in Salina, Nick Compagnone, began working with Cognia, the diocese noted in the news release. The process, which was put on hold for a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, concluded in May.
"The Diocese of Salina had a very intentional long-running start facilitated by excellent leadership in their efforts to transition into a more systemic diocese. These efforts resulted in 25 of 31 standards rated at Impacting and the other six at Improving. With the recent additions to the diocesan office staff who are now available to maintain the momentum, the diocese is well-positioned to tweak the system to enhance their students' learning opportunities further. This will mean working with each school to highlight and share its strengths while each school works together to find strategies to improve. This could be as simple as sharing ideas and looking for patterns across the district more intentionally. The diocese is to be congratulated for its strategic work, and the team looks forward to watching it grow in the future," Cognia noted in its report.
"The collaborative efforts of school leaders, teachers, students, parents, and community members is something we can all be proud of. This process has brought our schools closer together, and we are looking forward at continued improvements," said Superintendent Geoff Andrews.
Despite the good news from Cognia, the Salina diocese will not rest on its laurels. The next five-year accreditation cycle will begin during the 2022-23 school year and will conclude in 2027, according to information from the diocese.