Renton and Burien School Lice Policies

In both of Renton and Burien school districts, students with lice may remain in school for the day, but must be treated at home. Children with nits may attend school.

Renton School District

Standard Procedure:

​1. Suspected cases of head lice will be referred to trained school staff.

2. If students are identified with live lice by either the presence of lice or nits, trained school staff should complete the following by the end of the school day:

• Student may remain in class until the end of the school day.
• Notify teacher and notify parents/guardian.
• If applicable, screen siblings or close contacts for lice, or notify their school.
• The informational pamphlet “Lice Aren’t Nice” will be sent home with the affected student to the parents/guardians.

3. When the student returns following treatment, the classroom teacher will be notified that the student has been rechecked and can return to class.

• Rechecks will be completed by trained school staff. Student may return to class if treatment has been verified by the parent and the student is free of live lice. The student may still have nits.

4. The School Nurse may re-check the student at her/his next scheduled work day at school site.

5. Any classroom head check procedures will follow recommendations of the OSPI “Infectious Disease Control Guide”. This is generally not recommended unless there is an “outbreak” of 3 or more cases within a consecutive 2-week period.

6. Educational information about head lice shall be provided to parents at the beginning of each school year.

7. In the case of an “outbreak”, an informational letter will be sent home to families notifying them of head lice in the classroom. A letter may go home in the case of one or two cases if determined necessary by the School Principal or School Nurse.​

Parent Responsibility

• Check your student before school starts in the fall and before returning from school breaks.
• Contact the school if you know or suspect that your child has lice.
• Inform family and friends so they can check their children.
• Treat your child and follow “Lice Aren’t Nice” pamphlet instructions to control transmission in the home. This includes combing and picking for nits daily for two weeks.
• Examine all household members and treat anyone infested. DO NOT TREAT children under the age of 2. If a child under the age of two is affected consult your health care provider for safe options.
• Soak brushes, combs, hair clips in ¼ cup bleach to one quart water for one hour or rinse/soak in hot water above 120 degrees for 10 minutes.
• Wash clothing, bedding and linens by machine washing and drying using the hot cycle for 30 minutes.
• Vacuum all rugs, carpets, furniture, car, car seats and strollers. Discard the vacuum bag. If using a bagless vacuum, securely bag vacuum contents immediately after vacuuming.
• Use of environmental sprays is NOT recommended due to possible toxicity and ineffectiveness.
• Use only products recommended in the “Lice Aren’t Nice” pamphlet or by your Health Care Provider.
• Following treatment, you or another adult must accompany your child back to school to be cleared to return to class by trained school staff. If there are no live lice your child can return to class. Note: High School students need not be accompanied by an adult.

Teacher Responsibility

• Discourage close head contact in your classroom. Separate coats by hanging on the back of individual chairs. Put hats and gloves in pockets or sleeves of student’s coat.
• Notify office staff so that appropriate cleaning of classroom items occurs, i.e. vacuum upholstered furniture, carpets. Bag items such as stuffed animals that cannot be washed for 2 weeks.
• Protect the identity of students with head lice.
• In the particular classroom, send home lice information letter to parents with the students if; at the discretion of the school, this may be done with one case. However, for an outbreak of 3 or more cases within a consecutive 2 weeks, a letter to parents/guardians is advised according to the OSPI “Infectious Disease Control Guide”.
• Recognizing that lice are an infestation and may be communicable, continue to be alert to signs of potential lice infestation in other students, such as scratching the head, particularly at the nape of the neck.

Office Responsibility

• Specify full time staff member(s) to be trained regarding lice identification.
• Provide letter home to parents/guardians for classroom that the student is in at the discretion of the school. However, in the case of an “outbreak”, which is 3 or more cases in a classroom over a consecutive 2 week period, a letter is advised per the OSPI “Infectious Disease Control Guide”.
• Assist the teacher and nurse in managing student attendance until treatment and re-screening is completed.
• Students are expected back in school within one to two days of the parent notification of the lice concern and with appropriate treatment. It is understood that nits may still be present.
• Protect the confidentiality of students and their families.
• Be aware of parent’s responsibility and enlist the nurse’s help in ensuring that parents understand lice treatment and protocol and have access to supplies.
• Notify custodial staff to vacuum affected classroom and upholstered furniture.

Nurse Responsibility

• Provide parent lice information letter to office staff/teacher for distribution to the class if an outbreak is indicated according to the recommendation of OSPI “Infectious Disease Control Guide”.
• Provide “Lice Aren’t Nice” educational pamphlet
• Provide training to office staff on lice detection and procedures to follow.
• Coordinate with office staff regarding tracking students with confirmed cases of lice.
• School Nurse may recheck student when she returns to the school site.
• Provide and support staff education on lice procedure.
• Provide educational letter via school publication on lice procedure.” 

The Burien School District

“3414 - HEAD LICE

Standard Procedure:

• The building administrator will designate one-two staff other than a nurse to be trained and available in cases of head lice.
• Suspected cases of head lice will be referred to trained school staff.
• If students are identified with live lice by either the presence of lice or nits, trained school staff should complete the following by the end of the school day:
• Student may remain in class until the end of the school day. They will be told to avoid close head contact.
• Notify teacher and notify parents of the student(s) with identified head lice.
• If applicable, screen siblings or close contacts for lice, or notify their school.
• The pamphlet “Facing Head Lice: A Guide for Families” from the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) will be sent home with the affected student for the parents.
• The classroom teacher will be notified that the student was checked and can return to   class.
• The School Nurse or trained staff may re-check the student in 7-10 days.
• Notify parent of the findings and the need for them to follow through on their responsibility below. If student attends daycare, ask parent to let daycare know prior to child’s attendance there.
• Classroom head check procedures will follow recommendations of the most recent edition of the OSPI “Infectious Disease Control Guide for School Staff.” An outbreak is defined as 3 or more unrelated cases in one classroom.
• All students will be able to ride the bus as usual the first day but they will be advised to avoid close head contact.
• Student may remain in class until the end of the school day. They will be told to avoid close head contact.
• Notify teacher and notify parents of the student(s) with identified head lice.
• If applicable, screen siblings or close contacts for lice, or notify their school.
• The pamphlet “Facing Head Lice: A Guide for Families” from the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) will be sent home with the affected student for the parents.

Parent Responsibility:

Check your student before school starts in the fall and before returning from school breaks.

• Contact the school if you know or suspect that your child has lice.
• Inform family and friends so they can check their children.
• Treat your child and follow the guidelines “Facing Head Lice: A Guide for Families” pamphlet from the National Association of School Nurses (NASN).
• If you or the school finds lice please know your child should return to school with appropriate treatment within one to two days given that no live bugs remain.
• It is possible after treatment that nits will remain but your child could return to school if cleared by school trained staff. Continue combing and picking for nits daily for two weeks. It is important to focus on the head.
• If your child is an elementary student, you or another adult must accompany your child back to school to be cleared to return to class by trained school staff. If there are no live lice and treatment has been followed per “Facing Head Lice: A Guide for Families” pamphlet then the child can return to class.
• If your child is in secondary school they must be cleared by trained school staff (which means no live lice) in order to return to class. If they are not cleared to return to class the parent will need to be able to provide transportation home that morning.
• Examine all household members and treat anyone infested. DO NOT TREAT children under the age of 2. If a child under the age of two is affected consult with your health care provider for safe options.
• Soak brushes, combs, hair clips in pediculocide shampoo or rinse/soak in hot water above 120 degrees for 10 minutes.
• Wash clothing, bedding and linensthe affected person used within the past two days by machine washing and drying using the hot cycle for 30 minutes.
• Vacuum all rugs, carpets, furniture, car, car seats and strollers. Discard the vacuum bag. If using a bagless vacuum, securely bag vacuum contents immediately after vacuuming.
• Use of environmental sprays is NOT recommended due to possible toxicity and       ineffectiveness.
• It is unsafe to use kerosene or defoggers. Use only products recommended in the “Facing Head Lice: A Guide for Families” pamphlet or by your health care provider.

Teacher Responsibility (if outbreak or not):

• Discourage close head contact in your classroom. Separate coats by hanging on the back of individual chairs. Put hats and gloves in pockets or sleeves of student’s coat.
• Recognize that lice are an infestation and are communicable, meaning any of your    students may be affected.
• Assist in monitoring student attendance until treatment and re-screening is completed.
• Protect the identity of students with head lice.
• Send home lice letter to parents with students in the affected classroom if an outbreak is indicated in the most recent edition of the OSPI “Infectious Disease Control Guide for School Staff.”
• Be alert to signs of potential lice infestation in other students, such as scratching the head, particularly at the nape of the neck.

Office Responsibility:

• Specify full time building staff member(s) to be trained regarding lice identification.
• Provide letter home to teacher for classroom that the student is in if an outbreak is indicated in the most recent edition of the OSPI “Infectious Disease Control Guide for School Staff.”
• Assist the teacher and nurse in managing student attendance until treatment and re-screening is completed.
• Students are expected back in school within one to two days of parent notification of the lice concern and with appropriate treatment. It is understood that nits may still be present.
• Protect the confidentiality of students and their families.
• Be aware of parent’s responsibility and enlist the nurse’s help in ensuring that parents understand lice treatment and protocol.
• It may be necessary for trained staff or nurse to recheck students in 7-10 days.

Nurse Responsibility:

• Provide lice letter to office manager/teacher for distribution to class if an outbreak is indicated in the most recent edition of the OSPI “Infectious Disease Control Guide for School Staff.”
• Provide pamphlet “Facing Head Lice: A Guide for Families” from the National Association of School Nurses (NASN).
• Provide training to office staff on lice detection and procedures to follow.
• Coordinate with office staff regarding tracking students with confirmed cases of lice.
• Provide and support staff education on lice procedure.
• Provide educational letter via school publication on lice procedure.
• Work with office staff on a plan to recheck student with nits weekly until they are gone.
• Make sure student’s attendance is monitored”

Source: Highline Public School 

If you discover head lice in your son and daughter, give us a call in the Renton and Burien area and we will make a house call to you and will eradicate the lice infestation so that you can resume your daily routine without worries about head lice. Call us day or night at 206-316-8637. You will be relieved that you did.