It only takes one visit to Pulaski Elementary School to realize that the Panthers appreciate their principal. During one recent visit, after several teachers and staff members were treated to a pie in the face after a fundraising effort, PES Principal Mike Price shaved his own beard in front of the students. Between pies, lego clubs, and snow cones, Price has endeared himself to the students and staff at PES.
Mike Price is a third-generation employee of Pulaski County Public Schools. His grandfather, Kermit Riggle, was Head of Maintenance in his day. His mother, Barbara Cain, taught at PES and the former Draper Elementary School for over 30 years. She currently tutors students at PES.
In his younger days, Price attended Draper Elementary School, Pulaski Middle School, and in 1993 graduated from Pulaski County High School. After high school, he attended Radford University, obtaining Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Social Sciences. He later earned his Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction, then Educational Leadership.
Mike Price returned to his Alma Mater, teaching History and Psychology at PCHS for 14 years before going into leadership. During that time, he served as an assistant football coach for four years. He was also the varsity soccer head coach for 12 years. He served as a Student Services Supervisor at PCHS, then moved to PES as an assistant principal for four years. For the past three and a half years, Price has been the principal at PES.
When asked what has driven him to reach this point in his career, Price stated, “It gives me more chances to impact student’s lives. I also get a chance to communicate with a lot of people on a daily basis. People always say coaches make the best administrators. This position also helps me support my family in many ways.”
Price has many fond memories of his time before moving into his current position.
“As the soccer coach, beating Radford the last game I coached against them in the final two seconds of the game,” he recalled. “My most memorable season was the 2009 season. Proud of all those young men.”
“I absolutely loved teaching Psychology,” he continued. “Loved the interactions and conversations. Proud to say a lot of my former students are now teaching at PES. I also had lots of memories at Draper Elementary. My goodness what a great place it was!”
While he loves his current job, Price admits there are ups and downs.
“For the positives, the interactions with the students and seeing them grow. I love to see their faces when they accomplish something. Plus … I still get to eat school lunches (as you can probably tell). The people I work with are amazing. As for the challenges, working in a constantly changing world is a big one. The media age definitely can be hard to navigate through. A lot of negativity can come out of it.”
What is the one piece of advice that Mike Price would give to a current student who wants to one day become a teacher?
“This too shall pass,” he said. “Bad days cannot last forever, as well as good days. Try to enjoy the moment, but know that things can change so quickly. Just be prepared to face anything the best you can. Also … you are never alone unless you choose to be.”
There are a lot of people that Mr. Price wanted to mention, and a lot of other things he wanted to say.
“Cassie Puckett has been a star,” he said. “I couldn’t ask for a better principal alongside me. She is truly a gift to PES. My mother, Barbara Cain, is probably the best teacher I’ve ever known. She sacrificed so much in order to get me to where I am now. She has been my biggest supporter and critic. I try to live my life by the lessons she taught me.”
“Pulaski Elementary School is a special place,” he added. “I am proud to work alongside such great educators and staff. The parents have always been supportive, and the students make me laugh every day. I honestly love all of you.”
Mike Price and his wife, Christina, have two daughters, Ellen and Elizabeth, who are currently juniors at PCHS.