Elkhart board unanimously approves superintendent and deputy superintendent contracts after public comment

The Elkhart Community Schools board unanimously approved contracts for the incoming superintendent and deputy superintendent at its Jan. 27 meeting, then invited the appointees to address the community.

Before the vote, Howard Turner used the public‑comment period to urge the board to reconsider terms of the proposed superintendent contract. Turner said the contract’s guaranteed one‑year extension effectively turns a three‑year contract into a four‑year commitment and questioned compensation details, including a $195,000 annual salary, a 12 percent retirement contribution (rising 1 percent each year), a $10,000 annual car allowance and a district‑paid monthly cell phone. “A $195,000 a year, I believe, is twice as much as our highest paid teachers,” Turner said, and argued that, given district consolidations and revenue constraints, money should prioritize teacher pay.

The board opened and closed a public hearing on the posted contract, then received a motion to approve the superintendent contract for the 2026–27 school year; the motion carried unanimously. It followed the same process for the deputy superintendent contract for 2026–27, which also passed. Trustees invited Michelle Reese and Doctor Rausch to the front of the boardroom; both thanked the board and community and pledged transparency and collaborative leadership. Administration noted the contracts take effect July 1.

Board action and context: the motions to approve were recorded during the regular meeting and carried without recorded dissents. Trustees said they intend to continue engaging stakeholders as the administration works through consolidation and budget realignment in the next months.