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523 PEDICULOSIS (Lice) POLICY

A. Purpose 1. Provide education for the prevention of pediculosis to all students and families periodically. 2. Provide education, counseling, and treatment information to families with active cases of pediculosis. 3. Prevent the spread of pediculosis by actively participating in their eradication. B. Procedure 1. Current information regarding the prevention of pediculosis will be sent home to all families in the district each fall, by the school nurse. 2. Information/education on the detection and recognition of pediculosis will be made available to all staff of the district. 3. If a teacher suspects a student has head lice, the teacher shall immediately refer the student to the school nurse. The nurse or proxy will assess the child using an electronic detector (ie. Robi–comb). If lice are detected, the nurse shall thoroughly comb the child's hair with the electronic comb, thus killing and removing the lice. The student may stay in school if the nurse is reasonably sure that all live lice have been removed. 4. On days when the nurse is not in attendance, the appointed proxy will perform the treatment. On occasions when personnel are not available to treat the child, using the electronic comb, the child may be sent home. 5. The school nurse shall provide the student's family with written instructions regarding the treatment of lice and the removal of nits. A general letter will be sent home to all students in the classroom to alert parents that an active case of pediculosis has been detected. 6. The student may return to school once treatment has been initiated. At the school nurse's option, the Head Lice Checklist form (see appendix) may be sent home to be completed by the parent or guardian prior to the return of their son/daughter to school. 7. Parents are expected to ensure that their child has been appropriately treated and to continue to check and pick nits from the child's head until none remain. 8. The school nurse shall be available to answer questions and concerns of both parents and staff. The nurse will monitor students that have been identified with pediculosis at frequent intervals as deemed appropriate by the nurse. 9. Families who are unable to eradicate the pediculosis are expected to discuss the situation with the nurse and to seek help from sources such as the MN Department of Public Health or their own health care provider. 10. In chronic cases, students will not be allowed to attend school until they are lice free.

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