1) The school nurse, health and attendance clerk, or trained paraprofessional will examine children suspected of having head lice.
2) Students identified with having live lice infestation (active infestation) will be excluded from the classroom. The nurse will inform the principal and the parent will be contacted to pick up the child. Printed information and verbal review will be provided to the parent regarding treatments and disinfecting procedures. The importance of examining and treating other infested family members will be emphasized. Fine combing with a lice comb and manual nit removal is a critical component in the successful treatment and eradication of head lice.
3) Students identified to have nits only, will be allowed to remain in school until the end of the school day. A notice to the parent will be sent home advising the parents that all nits be removed and the proper methods for nit-removal.
4) Students are to receive lice treatment and have nits removed. They are expected to return to school the following day. Re-treatment is necessary 7-10 days after the first treatment.
5) Prior to returning to the classroom, returning students, preferably accompanied by a parent/guardian, will be re-examined by the school nurse, health and attendance clerk, or trained paraprofessional. Readmission to the classroom will be allowed if there is no evidence of live lice and examination must reveal a decrease in the amount of nits present on the hair shafts. This process may be repeated in 7-10 days following return to school.
6) Families with repeated or persistent infestation of lice and/or nits will be counseled and advised by the school nurse. The school nurse will enforce a no-nit standard for a student after two incidents per school year of an active infestation (two separate incidents are distinguished from a continuation of the same infestation) or if nit count remains excessive.
7) If a family is found to have a live infestation or nits, the school nurse, health and attendance clerk, or trained paraprofessional may examine all siblings or other household members. The nurse will notify school nurses of siblings or other household members attending other school buildings or districts.
8) The school nurse, health and attendance clerk, or trained paraprofessional must inspect elementary children in the affected student’s classroom or any other classroom(s) where there may have been potential spread due to the student’s participation or proximity of activities. A written notice, including instructions for removal of nits or lice, will be sent home with students in the affected classrooms, alerting parents to inspect their children’s heads at home.
9) Poor parental compliance with acceptable and effective treatments and/or poor attendance due to persistent or recurrent head lice may result in a Child Protective Services report of child neglect and/or educational neglect. Prompt treatment and return to school is the expectation.
