Central Illinois School Lice Policy

PEORIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS, DISTRICT 150

More information:  www.psd150.org Students with head lice will not be permitted into school according to the Peoria Public School lice policy. "Administrative Procedure Administrative Procedure Measures to Control the Spread of Head Lice at School Actor Action School Nurse Involves parent organization in the development and implementation of programs regarding prevention and treatment

1. Confidentiality requirements
2. Identification
3. Preventing transmission in classrooms
4. Precautions against self-contamination and cross-contamination, e.g., a. Carpets should be vacuumed frequently b. Cloth-covered stuffed animals, sleeping mats, pillows, sofas, and other stuffed furniture should be discouraged
5. Treatment and resources for treatment
6. Readmission requirements
7. Respect for sensitivity of students and parents/guardians regarding this condition

Parent/Guardian Assists in preventing and managing head lice outbreaks by regularly checking their children's hair and providing immediate treatment if lice are detected.

1. Check your child's hair and scalp regularly for eggs; they look like tiny white or grayish grains stuck to the hair. Head lice like clean heads, too.
2. Do not allow your child to use other children's combs, brushes, hats, etc.
3. If you find your child does have head lice, please inform the school so other children in the class can be checked.
4. Purchase a medicated shampoo from the drug store or supermarket and follow the instructions for the entire family.
5. Hats, combs, brushes and bed linens should be cleaned thoroughly. After the medicated shampoo, you can loosen the eggs with a scalp rinse of vinegar, and then slide the eggs off the hair shaft with tweezers, a special fine tooth comb, or your fingernails.

Staff To prevent the spread of head lice infestations, report all suspected cases of head lice to the school nurse or designee as soon as possible. School Nurse Inspects the head of any student reasonably suspected of having head lice as soon as possible. Checks the siblings of any student with head lice and notifies other schools where siblings attend. Checks items the students comes in contact with for the presence of lice. Provides the student's parent(s)/guardian(s) with information regarding head lice treatment. If more than one student is affected in any class, examines all students in the class and provides information about head lice to all parents/guardians of students in the class. Building Principal: If lice are found, excludes the student from attendance and informs the parents(s)/guardians about recommended treatment and procedures and sources of further information. Staff Maintains the privacy of students identified as having head lice and excluded from attendance. Parents/Guardians Returns an excluded student to school by bringing a note verifying treatment. School Nurse Examines any excluded student and verifies to the Building Principal that all lice are gone so that student may return to room. Building Principal Notifies parent(s)/guardian(s) whose excluded student has not returned to school within 5 days of the following: School attendance laws Action that may be taken if absence continues."

McLean County Unit District No. 5

More information: http://www.unit5.org/cms/lib03/IL01905100/Centricity/Domain/629/ElementaryHandbook.pdf As with the above school, students with head lice are excluded from school as follows: "The school will observe recommendations of the Illinois Department of Public Health regarding head lice.

1. Parents are required to notify the school nurse if they suspect their child has head lice.
2. Infested students will be sent home following notification of the parent or guardian.
3. The school will provide written instructions to parent or guardian regarding appropriate treatment for the infestation.
4. A student excluded because of head lice will be permitted to return to school only when the parent or guardian brings the student to school to be checked by the school nurse or building principal and the child is determined to be free of the head lice and eggs (nits). Infested children are prohibited from riding the bus to school until the child has been cleared by the school nurse."

Champaign Unit School District No. 4

More information: http://downloads.microscribepub.com/il/champaign/champaign_720_13.pdf Students with live lice and those with nits within 1/2 inch of the head will be sent home from school in the Champaign district. "In an effort to maintain a safe and healthy atmosphere in the District's schools, the Principal must immediately investigate or cause to be investigated all reported or suspected cases of head lice. When an individual case is found, the following will be done:

1. The Principal or designee confirms the presence of signs and symptoms compatible with head lice infestations. School staff will be notified to intensify surveillance.
2. The case is recorded in a log book, and the following information is noted as it becomes available: student's name, age, grade, teacher, date of identification, date of treatment #1, type of product used, date the child returns to school following treatment #1, date of treatment #2, type of product used, date the child returns to school following treatment #2.
3. The child will be sent home immediately with written instructions for consulting a physician and/or treatment; readmission may occur as specified in Step 6 below
4. The heads of all students in the same classroom as the case will be inspected, using a bright light (150 watts). If the child changes classrooms (goes to gym, visits the library media center, etc., where there is physical contact that could spread the lice), all children in each contact area are considered classmates and will be checked. Inspections will be done by the Principal or designee.
5. All in-school siblings will be checked, and if lice or nits are found, the sibling's entire class will be checked (regardless of the school they attend). Parents are expected to check all siblings who are not attending school.
6. A child found to be infested with head lice may be readmitted to school only upon presentation of proof of appropriate treatment (i.e., copy of prescription, proof of purchase of an over-the-counter product), and no evidence of nits on the child's head. Nits found within 1/2 inch of the scalp indicate an active infestation, and the child will be sent home.
7. Seven days following the initial treatment, the family will be sent a follow-up note requesting that a second treatment be administered. The child may remain in school, provided verification is received indicating the second treatment has been administered.
8. The school official will check any student who has been identified as having a case, or has had contact with a case, of head lice 10 days after his/her initial examination. (Note: If head lice are found in large numbers in one classroom, or if lice are found in more than one classroom within a school, all students in the school will be examined.)
9. Any student with five (5) absences due to a case of head lice will be referred to the Attendance Improvement Program (AIP) of the Regional Office of Education.
10. Parents should clean all areas in their home to which the infected child has come in contact."

Riverview Community Consolidated School District No. 2

More information: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&ved=0CDYQFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rgschool.com%2FHandbook The Riverview Community Consolidated School District No 2 maintains a "no nit" policy; students with lice or nits (lice eggs) will not be permitted to enter school. "The school will observe recommendations of the Illinois Department of Public Health regarding head lice.

1. Parents are required to notify the school office if they suspect their child has head lice.
2. Infested students will be sent home following notification of the parent or guardian.
3. The school will provide written instructions to parent or guardian regarding appropriate treatment for the infestation.
4. A student excluded because of head lice will be permitted to return to school only when the parent/guardian brings the student to school to be checked by the school nurse or building principal and the child is determined to be free of the head lice and eggs (nits). Infested children are prohibited from riding the bus to school to be checked for head lice."

Marshall Community Unit School District #C-2

More information: www.marshall.k12.il.us (pg 14) Marshall schools have the same lice policy as the aforementioned district. "The school will observe recommendations of the Illinois Department of Public Health regarding head lice.

1. Parents are required to notify the school nurse if they suspect their child has head lice.
2. Infested students will be sent home following notification of the parent or guardian.
3. The school will provide written instructions to parent or guardian regarding appropriate treatment for the infestation.
4. A student excluded because of head lice will be permitted to return to school only when the parent or guardian brings the student to school to be checked by the school nurse or building principal and the child is determined to be free of the head lice and eggs (nits). Infested children are prohibited from riding the bus to school to be checked for head lice."

Springfield Public Schools

More information: www.springfield.k12.or.us Springfield schools have a more lenient policy regarding head lice. Students with live lice will be permitted to remain in school and will be sent home at the end of the day for treatment. "The health aide will do head checks in a confidential manner, respecting the right to privacy. Head checks will be done as needed when a student exhibits signs/symptoms of infestation such as excessive head itching and/or live head lice are seen. If nits are found but there are no live (crawling) lice on the hair or scalp, parents will be notified (as below), and the health aide shall re-inspect within 5 school days. Students found with live head lice:

1. The student will be sent home at the end of the school day with a note notifying the parent of possible infestation. The parent will also be notified by telephone and/or e-mail. The parent/guardian shall be provided information on the biology of head lice, methods to eliminate infestation, and directions to examine household contacts for lice and nits.
2. Parents/guardians will be encouraged to verify treatment as soon as possible after notification. The student will be permitted to return to school after appropriate treatment is started.
3. Treatment of head lice should not require that a student be absent more than one day. Student absences exceeding two days may be considered unexcused.
4. Staff shall maintain the privacy of students identified as having head lice."

If you reside in Central Illinois and find that your child has head lice, call LiceDoctors at 309-431-2545. An experienced lice technician makes hours calls day or night, 365 days a year  and will rid your child of head lice so that she or he can return to school. To ensure that you are aware of your school district's latest lice policy, call your school nurse.