By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

The contract for the Hays-West Central Kansas Co-op special education director was not renewed last night at the Hays USD 489 school board meeting.

The Hays school district is the lead district for the co-op. The co-op advisory council recommended special education director Raj Sharma’s contract not be renewed.

The unanimous vote by the Hays board came with little discussion.

Board member Greg Schwartz confirmed with Hays Superintendent John Thissen it was his recommendation and the recommendation of the other superintendents in the co-op to not renew Sharma’s contract.

The co-op covers the Hays, Ellis, La Crosse and Victoria school districts.

Sharma’s contract will expire June 30.

Sharma was named as the director of the co-op on July 1, 2016. He was the special education director in Wellington before taking the job in Hays.

The contract for Assistant Superintendent Shanna Dinkel was renewed for another year Monday night.

Thissen is on a two-year contract, and his contract will not be up until next year. He asked the board after his current contract expires that he be placed on a yearly contract. He said this will be parallel to the other administrative contracts.