Howard enters 4th year at the helm with major award

Superintendent Howard celebrates with his family – son Jones, wife Rachael, and daughter Bailey – after Jones' graduation from GRC in May as the Class of 2025 valedictorian.

If you’re a Clark County Public Schools parent or guardian, Superintendent Dustin Howard most likely knows your name. Most important, he knows your kids.

He’s probably high fived them in their school hallway, shared chicken nuggets and conversation with them in the school cafeteria, supported them at a school activity, or learned with them in the classroom.

Mr. Howard is part of the fabric of Winchester and Clark County. His constant presence and care for growing greatness in every student have made him more than just a leader.

There’s an office with his name on it at 1600 West Lexington Avenue, but he prefers to be out and about, spreading enthusiasm with his signature “Go Cards,” and supporting students from classroom to athletic events and everything in between.

As he enters his fourth year leading our district, Mr. Howard’s energy, passion, and relentless drive have become a force for greatness across our district.

His designation as CKEC/EKU Superintendent of the Year is well deserved.

Mr. Howard was honored at the June Board of Education meeting with at Kentucky Senate commendation. He is joined by Board member Ben Dorsey, Senator Greg Elkins, and Board members Dora Hall, Ashley Ritchie-Rowland, Carl Kiser, and Paula Thomas.

“Even though the award says ‘Dustin Howard, Superintendent of the Year,’ it’s not about me,” he says. “It should say ‘District of the Year’ – most improved, most fantastic district in the state of Kentucky with the best kids and the best community.”

Nominated by his co-workers without his knowledge, Mr. Howard found out about the honor through a "Congratulations" text.

“Apparently, the principals and a lot of the directors got together and worked on the application as a team,” he said. “They shared their own experiences of working with me. They did it all after hours – not during the school day – just to lift me up. When I found that part out, it made it even more tremendously special and heartfelt.”

Mr. Howard is always quick to redirect attention to his team and the broader community.

“This is a shared recognition of Winchester and Clark County,” he says. “We’ve always had great students and a supportive community. But now, we’re really connecting, pulling in the same direction, and doing some wonderful things together.”

He emphasizes that he shares the award with staff, students, and the Board of Education. “We're only as good as our weakest link, and we don’t have many of those anymore,” he says. “People are working their guts out for kids.”

Howard's leadership isn’t just about vision – it’s about presence. He lives in the community, and his children go to the same schools he leads.

Mr. Howard and Assistant Superintendent Kelly Fithen celebrate the "GO CARDS!" mantra for which Howard is well known.

“You can’t do this job by driving in, attending a few things, and heading home," he says. "You have to live it. I feel privileged to be an invested citizen of this community who just so happens to be the superintendent.”

That personal connection feeds into everything he does. "When you care about people and listen more than you talk, it makes the job so enjoyable," says Howard. "It’s not rocket science. It’s relationships. It’s stories. That’s where the power is.”

Howard's gift for connecting with people led him to where he is today. After college, he became a school psychologist, drawn to the idea of making the world a better place by helping kids. “I didn’t want to be in business or politics. I wanted to make a difference, and this was the way to do it.”

His career unfolded naturally from there – one opportunity after another, driven by a genuine desire to do right by students.

“Things break certain ways and you just keep your eye on what’s most important – kids," he explains. "All of a sudden, you’re the superintendent and you’re thinking, ‘Man, what just happened?’”

At the core of Howard’s leadership philosophy is team development.

“For me, it’s been very rewarding to hire great people, pour into them, and watch them grow. Then they grow their folks. And their folks grow theirs. It’s like a heartbeat, and we're all pulling the rope together.”

Indeed, Howard credits the award not to one person’s leadership, but to the collective spirit of a district committed to excellence.

“We have our non-negotiables," Howard says. "We grow people. We’re very laser-focused and intentional. I feel like our team is all on the same page and really doing the work of growing greatness. And the best part is, we're just getting started."

And the “Go Cards” beat goes on … and on.