099-25 - NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING CONCERNING THE PROPOSED CONTRACT BETWEEN CULVER COMMUNITY SCHOOLS AND KAREN SHUMAN, SUPERINTENDENT
NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING CONCERNING
THE PROPOSED CONTRACT
BETWEEN CULVER COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
AND KAREN SHUMAN, SUPERINTENDENT
On June 16, 2025, at 7:00 p.m., the Culver Community Schools’ Board of School Trustees will meet at the school corporation’s central office, 700 School Street, Culver, Indiana, to discuss and hear from the public support for and objections to the proposed superintendent’s contract for Karen Shuman, which will be effective from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2028.
Initially Proposed Contract Details
Annual Base Salary: $121,000; Annual Teacher Retirement Fund Contribution: $3,630; Annual 403(b): $9,680; Annual Group Health Insurance Premium Contribution*: $24,720; Annual Health Savings Account Contribution: $3,000; Annual Long Term Disability Premium Contribution*: $307; Annual Dental and Vision Insurance Premium: $1,482; Annual Term Life Premium Insurance Contribution ($100,000 Death Benefit)*: $156; Annual Automobile Allowance: $4,000.
* Indicates that Culver Community Schools’ contribution may be adjusted if the insurance carrier increases the premiums for same level of coverage.
† Indicates the same percentage contribution as provided to teachers.
Agreement Length: The proposed contract is for an initial term of three (3) years. The proposed contract can be canceled by the school board for reasons set out in Indiana statute. By mutual agreement, the superintendent and Culver Community Schools can cancel the proposed contract at any time.
Work Days: The superintendent receives 20 vacation days and 12 sick days.
Annual Performance Raise: The superintendent will receive the same percentage salary increase as teachers received if she achieves the rating of “Effective” or “Highly Effective.”
Increases: The school board shall annually review the superintendent’s performance.
Culver Community Schools
Addendum to Regular Teacher’s Contract for Superintendent
THIS ADDENDUM made and entered effective as of the 1st day of July, 2025, by and between Culver Community Schools (the “School Corporation”) and Karen Shuman (the “Superintendent”) supplements the terms set forth in the Regular Teacher’s Contract executed effective as of that same date by the School Corporation and the Superintendent.
1. TERM AND DUTIES. The School Corporation shall employ the Superintendent and the Superintendent accepts employment as the chief executive officer of the School Corporation for a term commencing on July 1, 2025, and ending on June 30, 2028. As the chief executive officer of the School Corporation, the Superintendent shall perform the duties and discharge her responsibilities as enumerated in the job description and applicable School Corporation Bylaws and Policies, which are attached collectively hereto as Exhibit A and incorporated by this reference.
2. ANNUAL EVALUATION. In conjunction with the conclusion of its annual planning cycle, the Board of School Trustees of the School Corporation (the “Board”) will conduct a formal, summative evaluation of the Superintendent. The evaluation will be based upon data derived during the year, from monitoring board policies, and goals. Prior to her annual evaluation, the Superintendent shall provide a written report on progress made toward the School Corporation’s and her personal professional goals. Part of the Superintendent’s report shall include specifically itemized goals and plans that she and her central administration team possess for the School Corporation for one (1), three (3) and five (5) years in the future. The Superintendent’s report shall likewise include specifically itemized personal goals and professional plans for the Superintendent for one (1), three (3) and five (5) years in the future. In addition, the Superintendent shall provide a written midyear update. The Superintendent will provide the Board as much information as is necessary to allow the Board to be adequately informed.
A written composite evaluation will be prepared by the Board. The Superintendent will have the opportunity to review that document before meeting with the Board in executive session. The report will be signed by the Superintendent and each member of the Board. All employment decisions regarding the Superintendent remain within the sole and continuing discretion of the Board.
3. EXPIRATION. On July 1 of each year, this Agreement’s term shall extend for an additional school year. Consequently, this Agreement shall be for a continuous three (3) school year term, but this Agreement’s duration shall not extend past June 30, 2033. The Superintendent shall be responsible to annually inform and remind, in writing, the Board of this automatic extension prior to April 1. Either party may object before May 1 on any given year to an extension of the term for an additional school year. If such objection is made, this Agreement shall not automatically extend. The Superintendent’s failure to so inform and remind the Board shall cause this Agreement’s term not to be automatically extended.
4. COMPENSATION. The School Corporation shall pay the Superintendent an annual salary compensation of One Hundred Twenty-One Thousand and no/100 Dollars ($121,000.00). Provided that the Superintendent achieves the rating of highly effective or effective, or an equivalent rating on her annual evaluation, she shall be entitled to a raise. The annual raise of the Superintendent shall be equal in terms of percentage to the average percentage raise of teachers who receive raises for that year. The average shall be determined by comparing the total amount to be added to the base salaries paid to all eligible teachers for that year divided by the total base salaries for all of those teachers. Any raise provided to the Superintendent, including any raise for the 2025-2026 school year, shall be retroactive to this Addendum’s anniversary date of July 1. The Superintendent shall be paid in twenty-four (24) equal installments on a schedule fixed for all School Corporation employees.
5. AUTOMOBILE. The School Corporation shall pay the Superintendent an annual automobile allowance of Four Thousand and no/100 Dollars ($4,000.00). The Superintendent shall provide an automobile for her use in the performance of her duties on behalf of the School Corporation. Other than gasoline purchases as set out below, the Superintendent shall pay all of the expenses necessary for the upkeep, maintenance and operation of the Superintendent’s automobile, including the expenses for insurance, lubricants and antifreeze. For local use of the automobile, the Superintendent shall use the gasoline supply of the School Corporation at no cost to the Superintendent. The School Corporation shall reimburse at the current Internal Revenue Service mileage rate the Superintendent for gasoline purchased by the Superintendent on long distance business trips or the Superintendent shall purchase gasoline on such trips using the School Corporation’s credit card. The Superintendent shall purchase, at her sole expense, gasoline for long distance personal trips.
6. INTERNET SERVICE. The School Corporation shall provide, at its sole cost, a laptop personal computer to the Superintendent for the purpose of performing School Corporation business. The Superintendent shall procure internet service at her residence for her use in the performance of her duties on behalf of the School Corporation. The Superintendent shall pay all of the expenses associated with the procurement of that internet service, including monthly charges, hardware costs, and other costs. The Superintendent shall provide her email address or any other necessary internet contact information to appropriate school personnel to ensure that she may be readily contacted via the internet if School Corporation business so requires. The Superintendent shall procure an internet service that appropriately integrates with the technology and telecommunication services then being used by the School Corporation.
7. INSURANCE. The Superintendent and her eligible family members may participate in the medical plan offered to school administrators and certificated employees. The School Corporation shall pay the total premium cost of the selected medical plan less One and no/100 Dollars ($1.00), which amount the Superintendent shall pay. The School Corporation shall pay the total premium for the Superintendent for a family or individual dental and vision policy offered by the School Corporation One and no/100 Dollars ($1.00). The School Corporation shall pay the total premium, less One and no/100 Dollars ($1.00) for a supplemental income protection insurance policy for the Superintendent, which guarantees a portion of her salary after a sixty-day waiting period pursuant to the terms of the applicable policy. The School Corporation shall also pay the total premium, less One and no/100 Dollars ($1.00), for a term life insurance policy for the Superintendent with death benefits in the amount of One Hundred Thousand and no/100 Dollars ($100,000.00). The Superintendent may, at her sole cost, purchase additional supplemental life insurance that may be offered to School Corporation’s administrators. The School Corporation agrees to provide the above-referenced insurance benefits to the Superintendent for one (1) year following the Superintendent’s retirement from employment with the School Corporation.
8. HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT. The School Corporation shall also annually contribute on behalf of the Superintendent Three Thousand and no Dollars ($3,000.00) to a health savings account to be used by the Superintendent in accordance with that account’s plan.
9. RETIREMENT BENEFITS. The School Corporation shall annually contribute on behalf of the Superintendent for the 2025-26 school year eight percent (8%) of her base salary as additional salary to a tax sheltered annuity or other retirement account, such as a 403(b) Plan account, as directed by the Superintendent. For all subsequent school years, the School Corporation shall annually contribute nine percent (9%) of the Superintendent’s base salary to a tax sheltered annuity or other retirement account as directed by her. The School Corporation shall also annually contribute as her portion and on behalf of the Superintendent an amount equal to three percent (3%) of her salary to the Indiana State Teacher’s Retirement Fund. The Superintendent shall not participate in the 401(a) deferred compensation plan established in the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the School Corporation and the Culver Community Teachers Association.
10. PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP. The School Corporation encourages the Superintendent’s continued professional growth by participating in the programs, conferences and activities conducted by local, state, and national education associations, such as American Association of School Administrators, Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents and Indiana School Boards Association. After consultation between the School Corporation and the Superintendent, the School Corporation shall pay the Superintendent’s reasonable membership fees and other costs for participating in these and other professional associations that the Superintendent and Board reasonably believe will be beneficial to the performances of her job responsibilities and obligations.
11. INCIDENTAL BUSINESS EXPENSES. The School Corporation shall reimburse the Superintendent for reasonable expenses, approved by the Board and incurred by the Superintendent in the performance of her duties under this Addendum. The Superintendent shall promptly submit all claims for reimbursement for review and approval by the Board. The Board shall not unreasonably withhold approval for a reimbursement claim submitted by the Superintendent. Any reimbursement claim submitted by the Superintendent shall comply with all requirements imposed for such claim submission by the Indiana State Board of Accounts, the Internal Revenue Service, or any other authority empowered to impose rules upon the Superintendent or School Corporation for such claim submission.
12. PAID HOLIDAY, VACATION, SICK AND PERSONAL DAYS. The Superintendent shall be entitled to a vacation time of twenty (20) business days for each calendar year, to be taken at such time as the Superintendent shall elect. Vacation time may be taken at one time or in various segments. Unused vacation days may be carried over to the following school year; but must be used no later than December 31 of that calendar year. Any unused vacation days shall be lost. The maximum number of vacation days the Superintendent may possess at any time is forty (40) days. The Superintendent shall be entitled to thirteen (13) paid holidays, which include Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Day before Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving, Day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, Day after Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day. The Superintendent shall annually receive twelve (12) sick days. Unused sick days can accumulate to a total of ninety-five (95) days; unused sick days in excess of that accumulated day limit shall be lost. The Superintendent shall also annually receive five (5) personal days to conduct personal business. At the end of each school year, any unused personal days shall be converted to sick days and included in the limit refrerenced immediately above.
13. OTHER BENEFITS. The Superintendent shall be entitled to all benefits and working conditions described in the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the School Corporation and Culver CommunityTeachers Association that are not duplicative of the benefits and working conditions set out in this Addendum. These benefits include, but are not limited to, benefits and leaves, any other forms of insurance protection, retirement program, choice of tax sheltered annuities, and other certificated employee benefits. The Superintendent shall not receive any benefit or working condition described in the Collective Bargaining Agreement that is identical, similar, or of the same nature to those specifically set out or otherwise discussed in this Addendum.
14. DEFENSE AND INDEMNIFICATION. In the event that the Superintendent is named as a defendant in any suit arising out of the performance of her duties for, or employment with, the School Corporation, the Board shall promptly determine if the action alleged in the complaint was taken by the Superintendent in good faith, and if the Board determines that the action was taken in good faith, the Board shall defend the Superintendent in the suit. In addition, if the Board further determines that payment of any judgment, compromise or settlement of a claim or suit against the Superintendent arising out of the performance of her duties for, or employment with, the School Corporation is in the best interest of the School Corporation, that the liability, cost or damage is not predicated on and does not arise out of the bad faith of the Superintendent, and the claim or judgment is not based on the Superintendent’s malfeasance in office or employment, the School Corporation shall pay such judgment, compromise or settlement and shall hold the Superintendent harmless from any liability, cost or damage in connection therewith, including but not limited to the payment of any legal fees.
15. EXPIRATION. The Board must give the Superintendent notice of nonrenewal of this Addendum in writing delivered to her in person or by registered or certified mail on or before the January 1 immediately preceding the expiration date of this Addendum or as otherwise required by Indiana law.
16. TERMINATION.
16.1. Grounds for Termination. This Addendum may be terminated by (a) mutual agreement of the parties, (b) retirement of the Superintendent, (c) disability of the Superintendent, (d) discharge for cause, or (e) death of the Superintendent.
16.2. Disability of the Superintendent.
(a) In the event of the Superintendent’s disability, as defined in the supplemental income protection insurance policy insuring the Superintendent, the Superintendent’s compensation shall be suspended after the Superintendent’s sick leave has been exhausted and after the Superintendent has qualified for the benefits under said policy. The Superintendent’s compensation shall be reinstated as soon as she has returned to employment and undertaken the full discharge of her duties. The Board may terminate this Addendum by written notice to the Superintendent at any time after the Superintendent has exhausted any accumulated sick leave and such other leave as may be available and has been absent from her employment for whatever cause for an additional, continuous period of sixty (60) days.
(b) If a question exists concerning the capacity of the Superintendent to return to her duties, the Board may require the Superintendent to submit to a medical examination, to be performed by a physician licensed to practice medicine. The Board and the Superintendent shall mutually agree upon the physician who shall conduct the examination. The examination shall be done at the expense of the School Corporation. The physician shall limit the written examination report provided to the Board to the issue of whether the Superintendent has a continuing disability that prohibits her from performing her duties.
16.3. Discharge. The Board may terminate this Addendum for any reason permitted by Indiana law for the cancellation of a teacher’s contract or a superintendent’s contract. The Superintendent is entitled, however, to notice and, if she so requests, a hearing as provided by Indiana statute before any such termination may become effective. The Superintendent agrees this Addendum may also be terminated for any reason that is put forward in good faith and that is not arbitrary, capricious, irrational or irrelevant to the educational mission of the School Corporation.
16.4. Regular Teacher’s Contract The Superintendent agrees that if this Addendum is terminated for any reason set out in the above paragraph, such discharge is sufficient grounds for the termination of the Regular Teacher’s Contract amended by this Addendum and if so requested, the Superintendent shall resign and agree to the termination of her Regular Teacher’s Contract effective as of the same date as the termination of this Addendum.
17. SEVERABILITY. Any provision in this Addendum found to be prohibited by law shall be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition without invalidation of the rest of this Addendum.
18. INTEGRATION. The Superintendent and School Corporation incorporate into this Addendum their entire understanding with respect to the employment of the Superintendent by the School Corporation, and no past, present or future oral statements or prior written statements extrinsic to this Addendum, except the Regular Teacher’s Contract signed by the Superintendent or that are incorporated by reference, shall have any force or effect. Superintendent and School Corporation are not relying upon any representations other than those expressly set out in this Addendum.
19. GOVERNING LAW. This Addendum shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Indiana.
20. BINDING EFFECT. The provisions of this Addendum shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the School Corporation and the Superintendent, their respective legal representatives, successors and assigns.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the School Corporation caused this Addendum to be executed in its name and on its behalf by the undersigned President, Secretary and members of the Board and the Superintendent executed this Addendum effective on the day and year first above written.
Agreed the __ day of ___, 2025.
CULVER COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
BOARD OF SCHOOL TRUSTEES
Karen Shuman Superintendent
J.D. Uebler, President; Matthew McCuen, Vice President; Kevin Falk, Secretary; Teresa Thompson; Amy Pugh; Jack L. Jones; Mark Maes
EXHIBIT A
PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Attends and participates in all meetings of the board and its committees, except when own employment or salary is under consideration.
2. Serves as ex officio member of committees.
3. Administers as chief school executive, the development and maintenance of a positive educational program designed to meet the needs of the community and to carry out the policies of the board.
4. Advises the board on the need for new or revised policies and sees that all policies of the board are implemented.
5. Prepares and submits to the board recommendations relative to all matters requiring board action, placing before the board such necessary and helpful facts, information and reports as are needed to ensure the making of informed decisions.
6. Acts on own discretion of action, if necessary in any matter not covered by board policy, reports such action to the board as soon as practicable, and recommends policy in order to provide guidance in the future.
7. Informs and advises the board about the programs, practices, and problems of the schools, and keeps the board informed of the activities operating under the board’s authority.
8. Supervises the effective carrying out of all constitutional or statutory laws, state and charter regulations and board policies.
9. Makes all administrative decisions within the school necessary to the proper function of the school district.
10. Exercises power to make such rules and gives such instructions to school employees and students as may be necessary to implement board policy.
11. Delegates at own discretion to other employees of the board the exercise of any powers or the discharge of any duties with the knowledge that the delegation of power or duty does not relieve the Superintendent of final responsibility for the action taken under such delegation. ·
12. Formulates school objectives, policies, plans and programs; and prepares (or causes to be prepared) and presents facts and explanations necessary to assist the board in its duty of legislation for the schools.
13. Conducts a periodic audit of the total school program and advises the board on recommendations for the educational advancement of the schools.
14. Communicates directly or through delegation all actions of the board relating to personnel matters to all employees; and receives from employees all communications to be made to the board.
15. Recommends for appointment, election, or employment all employees of the board and assigns, transfers, and recommends for dismissal any and all employees of the board except professional officers of the board.
16. Assigns and defines the duties of all personnel, subject to board approval.
17. Holds such meetings of teachers and other employees as necessary for the discussion of matters concerning the improvement and welfare of the schools.
18. Recommends to the board for final action the promotion, salary changes, demotion, or dismissal of any employee.
19. Reports to the board the case of any employee whose service is unsatisfactory, and recommends appropriate action.
20. Submits to the board a clear and detailed explanation of any proposed procedure which would involve either departure from established policy or the expenditure of substantial sums.
21. Directs the preparation of the annual budget for adoption by the board, and administers the budget as enacted by the board, acting at all times in accordance with legal requirements and adopted board policies.
22. Maintains directly or through delegation such personnel records, pupil accounting records, business records, and other records which are required by law and by board policy.
23. Files, or causes to be filed all reports required by the State and the school code.
24. Makes recommendations with reference to the location and size of new school sites and of additions to existing sites; the location and size on new buildings on school sites; the plans for new school buildings; all appropriations for sites and buildings; and improvements, alterations, and changes in the buildings and equipment of the district.
25. Represents the district in its dealings with other school systems, institutions, agencies, and community organizations.
26. Keeps informed of modern educational thought and practices by advanced study, by visiting school systems elsewhere, by attending educational conferences and by other appropriate means, and keeps the board informed of trends in education.
27. Represents the schools before the public and maintains, through cooperative leadership, both within and without the schools, such a program of publicity and public relations as may keep the public informed as to the activities, needs and successes of the schools.
28. Establishes and maintains a program of public relations to keep the public well-informed of the activities and needs of the school district, affecting a wholesome and cooperative working relationship between the schools and the community.
29. Keeps the public informed about modern educational practices, educational trends, and the policies, practice and problems in the district’s schools:
30. Confers periodically with professional and lay groups concerning the school program and transmits to the board suggestions gained from such conferences.
31. Performs such other tasks· as may from time to time be assigned by the board.
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