Procedures for Head Lice
Head Lice (Policy Code JGCBA adopted May 2005)

1.        “Head Lice” are parasitic insect found on the heads of people.  Head lice appear in three forms:  The nit, the nymph, and the adult.  Nits are head lice eggs that take about a week to hatch into nymphs.  Nymphs look like small adults, and they mature into adults in about a week.  Adult lice live up to 30 days on a person’s head and up to 2 days if they are not on a person.  Anyone who comes into close contact with someone who has head lice, a contaminated person’s clothing, or other belongings is at risk for getting head lice.  Head lice infestation impairs learning by causing tickling, itching, irritability, and sores.  In order to control the spread and detrimental effects of head lice infestation at school, any student infested with any form of head lice shall be sent home from school and not allowed to return until free from infestation.

2.        The school nurse or nurse’s aide shall examine students on a random or selective basis for head lice.

3.        The school will attempt to give parents verbal and written information on the treatment and prevention of head lice infestation when a student is sent home.

4.        Parents and students are responsible for successfully treating infestation in order to be re-admitted to school.

5.        A student returning from being sent home for head lice infestation shall be re-examined and found free of head lice in any form before the student may be re-admitted to school.

6.        A parent or guardian must accompany any non-driving student to the re-examination and take the student away from school if continued infestation is found.

7.        The school district’s registered nurse shall have final authority to determine whether a student is infested or not for school attendance purposes.

8.        The school nurse or nurse’s aide shall report chronic infestations to the child abuse hotline.

9.        A principal may excuse a reasonable number of absences while a parent, guardian, or student is attempting to treat head lice infestation;  however, a principal may determine that a parent, guardian, or student is not seriously attempting to successfully treat head lice infestation and designate any number of absent days as unexcused.

10.     A principal may file a FINS (Family In Need of Services) petition based upon a students chronic absenteeism due to head lice infestation.