Director of special programs Candice Peay to retire from BGISD

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Bowling Green Independent Schools has announced the upcoming retirement of Candice “Candy” Peay, director of special programs, effective June 30, 2026.

According to a release by the Bowling Green Independent School District, Peay’s retirement “marks the conclusion of a career dedicated to the students, families and educators of the Bowling Green community.”

Peay began working for the district in 2000 as a teacher at Bowling Green High School, then a special education department chair starting in 2015, BGISD states.

The release says her responsibilities at BGHS included admissions and release committee meetings and ensuring Individual Education Programs were meeting the needs of every student.

Since becoming director of special program in 2020, BGISD says Peay has been responsible for district-wide special education programming, compliance and resource allocation.

As a member of the district leadership team, BGISD says she managed the systems and school personnel needed to meet state and federal requirements across all schools.  Peay’s work has focused on operations, managing budgets and coordinating services to ensure the best possible outcomes for students, the district says.

Superintendent Gary Fields says, “I’ve had the opportunity to work with Candy for 26 years. I served as her principal at BGHS for 13 years and then had the opportunity to select her to lead the district’s special education department in 2020. She has consistently demonstrated the ability to effectively and passionately advocate for students with special needs, ensuring that individual learning needs are met on a daily basis. Her presence on our district leadership team will be greatly missed. I appreciate that she always began each conversation with the demand that we do what was best for the student.”

The district says it will begin a search for her successor immediately, with Peay assisting in the transition to ensure that the standard of care for BGISD’s students remains uninterrupted.