Head Lice Policy & Protocol

1. Students identified with live lice will be excluded immediately from school to be treated. 

2. The parent/guardian will be notified by telephone.  If the parent/guardian is unavailable, the emergency contact will be notified.

3. All checks for head lice will be done in a confidential manner, to respect the student’s right to privacy and to avoid embarrassment. 

4. An informational checklist will be given to parents/guardians of students identified with live head lice. Educational information on treatment and prevention will also be distributed as well as a proof of treatment form for the parents to complete.

5. The student will not be allowed to ride the bus either home or to school until cleared by the school nurse. The school nurse or health aide will contact transportation when the child is cleared to return to school.

6. The associates of students at the elementary, middle school and high school levels will be checked at the nurse’s discretion.  We ask that parents follow the treatment procedures in a timely manner so absences will be as few as possible. 

7. Parents/guardians will be responsible for administering proper treatment and for removing all nits. 

8. All siblings of the infested child will be checked by school personnel if they are enrolled in the North Putnam Community School Corporation. 

9. The parent/guardian should transport the student to school once the student has been treated. The parent/ guardian shall remain with the student until the school nurse or health aide has checked the student’s hair and the student is cleared to be readmitted to the classroom.  Once the student is readmitted to the classroom, he/she may return to riding the bus. If live lice are identified, the student will be sent home again with the parent.

10. Upon re-admittance to the classroom, the student will be required to return to the nurse’s office first thing every Monday morning for a month (4 weeks). If live lice are present at any time, the student will be excluded from school again. It will be at the school nurse’s or health aide’s discretion to check a student more frequently or to send him/her home for further treatment if felt warranted. 

Excessive absences due to head lice may result in the school filing a report with the Office of Child Protective Services.