Melanie Conley named interim principal of Father Kolbe school

Having spent her entire 26-year teaching career at Father Kolbe School in Canton, Melanie Conley said she is very familiar with the community and its needs as she begins a new role as interim principal.
The school is entering a transitional year as Father Kolbe prepares to become a parish school affiliated with St. Casimir, Canton. The pastor and school leaders will conduct a search for a permanent principal. Ms. Conley is not sure whether she will be a candidate for that position.
“It’s a very family-oriented, close-knit community,” said Ms. Conley, who worships at St. Casimir. “The children come from sweet backgrounds and the parents are very caring and hardworking.”
Ms. Conley started the pre-kindergarten program at Father Kolbe and then taught kindergarten and first grade. A priority for the coming years is increasing enrollment, she said, and the former principal already took steps to boost the numbers. There are currently 130 students, she said.
While Father Kolbe already educates students about St. Francis of Assisi, Ms. Conley said there will be an effort to strengthen the Franciscan charism of the school. The school was previously run by Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph and St. Casimir is staffed by Conventual Franciscan friars.
Ms. Conley holds a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Towson University.