Joshua Kincaid

Joshua Kincaid, the new superintendent of Menifee County effective July 1, has been an administrator with the district since 2020. Photo courtesy Menifee County

(FRENCHBURG, KY) – Joshua Kincaid, the new superintendent of Menifee County, says he’s looking forward to “exciting times for Menifee County.”

Kincaid, who earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Eastern Kentucky University, began his career as a police officer in Lexington. Kincaid said he has always had a passion for serving and educating his community, even though he didn’t pursue a career in education at first.

“Education was always important to me and my family, and I just had a lot of good mentors growing up, so they laid the framework for me wanting to be an educator,” Kincaid said.

He worked in law enforcement for six years before making his transition into education in 2009 after he earned a master’s degree and certification in special education from Georgetown College.

“I’ve always felt that calling to work with kids …  and make an impact with kids, so I decided to switch up careers,” he said.

For more than a decade, Kincaid taught special education at the primary and secondary levels in Clark County and Powell County.

He later moved into administrative roles, accepting the position of director of personalized learning in Menifee County in 2020. In this role, he oversaw special education, preschool programs and Medicaid services.

After two years, Kincaid decided to further his impact by returning to college to earn his superintendent certification from Asbury University. He has served as assistant superintendent, in addition to his director of personalized learning role, for the past five years.

Kincaid said his career has provided a foundation for being a great leader.

“I lead by example,” he said. “I know it’s not economical for your superintendent or assistant superintendent to be sweeping the cafeteria every day, but if the need is there, I’ll take care of it.”

Kincaid described his educational philosophy as “all means all,” meaning he believes in the importance of recognizing and nurturing each student’s unique strengths and weaknesses and that all students can succeed with the correct support from educators.

“As educators, we have to look at those traits. Not every kid is going to be proficient or distinguished in all areas, but they can strive to be,” he said.

Kincaid, driven by his passion for making school an enjoyable place for students, coupled with his love for the Menifee County community, was inspired to pursue the superintendent role.

“It’s a great place. It’s a great place for the kids, a great place for the admin and teachers,” he said, noting his desire to maintain and build upon the district’s progress.

Kincaid said his top priorities for his first year include ensuring student and staff safety and improving overall academic performance.

He emphasized the importance of making students feel comfortable and secure at school while helping them develop the key skills needed for success.

Kincaid was clear about his vision for the district’s future: “Be a district of distinction in all areas,” he said, explaining that he wants Menifee County to be known for its excellence in academics and student achievement.

“I want to continue on this progress and make Menifee County known for the great academics, for the great students that we have, the great teachers we have and just the overall greatness we have here in Menifee County.”