Head Lice

5511.1 POLICY – HEAD LICE

The Board of Education recognizes the importance of controlling the spread of communicable diseases within the school and local community. Pediculosis (“head-lice”) is categorized under New Jersey State law as a communicable disease (N.J.A.C. 10:122-7.1). In order to prevent the spread of head-lice any student(s) identified as having this communicable disease shall be excluded from school until the student exhibits no evidence of live lice or eggs (nits). (N.J.S.A. 18A:40-8).

Head Check Procedure

1.  Head checks will be performed in response to school nurse or other staff member suspicion.

2.  When a case of head lice has been identified, the entire class shall be checked.

3.  Parents will be notified if there is a case identified in the school by sending home a head lice alert notice and the approved packet of information including the district policy.

4.  Any student identified as having head lice shall be immediately sent home from school.

Readmission Procedure

A student who has been excluded from school for head-lice shall only be readmitted upon inspection and approval of the school nurse in accordance with the following procedure:

1.  student must be accompanied by an adult upon return; and

2.  have his or her scalp checked by the school nurse; and

3.  Exhibit no evidence of live lice or eggs (nits).

If there is evidence of live lice or eggs, the student will not be readmitted until the student is free of both live lice and eggs.

Adopted:  23 April 2015