10034 - Procedure for Head Lice

Children deemed by the school to have head lice should be dealt with in such a manner as to avoid undue embarrassment and yet to provide protection to classmates and faculty members.

The following steps will be taken in order to protect classmates and faculty:

1. Parents or guardians of a student determined by the school to have head lice will be notified by the principal or school nurse that they must pick up their child from school and begin a prescribed treatment for that child and, being that head lice are contagious; other siblings will be screened for indication of infestation also.
2. The teacher of the identified child will be informed by the principal or the school nurse as soon as possible.
3. A letter indicating the presence of and the treatment for head lice may be sent home by the principal with classmates of the infested child.      
4. If siblings are found to be infested, the same process will be followed.
5. Re-admittance of the identified child to school will occur when reasonable evidence of treatment is shown and there are not "nits" (eggs) present. If any nits are visible in the hair, the child will be sent home. Parents should have completed one pediculicide treatment, one olive oil treatment, a mayonnaise treatment, and a thorough nit combing and nit check. The home environment must be thoroughly cleaned. Continued treatment and checking for nits over the next three weeks should prevent the infestation of additional children.

In the instance that a parent or guardian cannot be located, the child will remain in school and participate in appropriate activities planned by the administration.