The Board of Education voted last week on one new policy and two changes to existing policies that essentially bring the district in line with state mandates.

Policy number 3280, regarding gifts and memorials, now states that the school board will need to approve anything given to the district over $5,000.

Changes to policy number 5114, regarding student discipline, align the district with state laws. The new policy, which does not yet bear a number, surrounds the state's restraint and seclusion law. The policy outlines the proper procedures for physically restraining someone if it becomes necessary.

Board of Education member Norm Hicks noted that the board was in a position where it had to vote in favor of these policies or the district would be in violation of state mandates.

Under the superintendent's report at the June 11 meeting, Susan Viccaro reported that a bus accident occurred that afternoon. Two students were on the bus, but neither they nor the driver were hurt in the accident despite significant damage to the bus. The driver of the vehicle that crashed into the bus was seriously injured, Viccaro said.

Viccaro also noted that the drop-out rate percentage attributed to District 13 on the state's Web site is inaccurate. The state's site indicated that the drop out rate was at 15 percent, but has since been changed to reflect the accurate number. Viccaro said the actual drop out rate for both the 2005-06 and 2006-07 school years were .35 percent. That percentage equals two of the 572 students enrolled.

Board of Education chairman Tom Hennick collected the evaluations filled out by fellow board members regarding Viccaro's performance as superintendent. The board discussed a couple of options for dealing with the evaluation, but eventually decided to let Hennick tally the results of the various evaluations and then discuss them Viccaro at a future date. Hennick plans to give the board members a report with the results of the evaluations.

In the meantime, with only minor language changes to the contracts for both Viccaro and District 13 Business Manager Ron Melnik, the board unanimously approved their contracts.

In recognition of Dr. Daniel Shoemaker's last meeting as a Board of Education member, Bill Currlin presented him with a plaque, a smiley face tie, and many thanks on behalf of the board for all of his hard work and dedication to District 13 and its students. Shoemaker has been a BOE member since 1996.

Former BOE chair Chet Raczka attended the meeting and also gave his thanks to the "doc."

"It was a pleasure to sit across from a guy where you knew where his heart was," Raczka said. "He was always looking to find a way to make that nickel spend like a $100 bill. I respect the job that he has done."