He was a ‘peacemaker’ for Fayette schools. New central office could carry his name.

As the Fayette School District moves into a new headquarters, board members on Monday will discuss naming the facility in honor of former longtime Chairman John D. Price, who died in 2016 after a two-year battle with leukemia.

In May, the Fayette County Board of Education voted to buy an office building at 450 Park Place to house the district’s central administration offices. This fall, staff have been moving to that building from the Central Office at the old Henry Clay High School building at 701 East Main in Lexington.

Fayette Superintendent Manny Caulk said in 2016 that Price helped him through a cancer fight in 2015. Caulk, who is now on temporary leave for an undisclosed medical problem, recommended that the new building be named after Price. The board will discuss the recommendation at a 2 p.m. Monday planning meeting, according to the agenda.

“A guiding light and peacemaker, Mr. Price helped lead the Fayette County Public Schools through challenging times, finding common ground in the midst of sometimes polarizing debates, including budget reductions,” a school board resolution about him said.

Price, who died at 62, was a generous and caring man who championed equity and social justice throughout the community, district officials said.

Price helped Fayette County Public Schools for more than 30 years.

A certified public accountant, Price opened his accounting office to high school students through Fayette County’s Experience-Based Career Education, serving as a mentor before he had children of his own.

When his daughter entered the Fayette County Public Schools, he was a homeroom parent, PTA member, PTA officer, and school council member. In 1993, he helped establish the 16th District PTA to unify parent-engagement organizations from every school in the district and later served as its second president.

He was later appointed to the FCPS Equity Council. Elected to the Fayette County Board of Education in 2003, Price served as chair from 2010 until his death in 2016.

“John was a statesman in every sense of the word, displaying wisdom, acting with integrity, building consensus and taking deliberate action to benefit the students, staff, families and community,” a school board document said. “A servant leader who put the needs of children first, John devoted countless hours working to create learning environments that would support the achievement of all kids and ensure that every student attends a world-class school, regardless of where they live.”

This story was originally published December 3, 2020 at 4:30 PM.