In keeping with the Hudson R-IX School District’s policy of avoiding the unnecessary exclusion of students from school, the district will not exclude otherwise healthy students from school due to nit infestations. Students with live head lice infestations will be excluded from school only to the minimum extent necessary for treatment. To avoid the unnecessary exclusion of students from school, the administration provides the following procedure: 

• Hudson R-IX School will perform routine head lice checks on all students every other month beginning in September each school year. If, however, there is a case reported that needs to be examined at another time of the year, the nurse will identify that population of students and perform head checks immediately.

• If the school nurse or teacher discovers head lice or nits on a student, the Parent/Guardian of that student will be immediately notified. If this is a non-routine head check, any other students who reside with the infected student will also be checked. Any infected individuals will be sent home as soon as possible.

• The school nurse or administration will instruct the parent/guardian on various treatment options for removing live head lice or nits. Appropriate handouts will be given to parent/guardian of infected child concerning necessary procedures for removal of head lice in the home.

• The infected student may return to school the following day as long as the Parent/Guardian has verified by signing the Lice Treatment Form, that the child has been treated with one of the suggested methods the previous day, and has been examined by the school nurse, school administration, or other healthcare professional. If live head lice are found at that time, the Parent/Guardian will be notified immediately and reinstructed concerning treatment.

• A student identified as having nits but not a live head lice infestation will be Re-examined within five (5) calendar days of the initial identification. If this Examination reveals nits are still present, the Parent/Guardian will again be instructed on treatment options. This process will repeat until the student is free of nits.

• The school nurse will keep accurate and confidential records of students with infected head lice or nits.

• If it appears that the Parent/Guardian of an infested student is failing to secure timely treatment for the infestation after having been given notice of the existence of live head lice or nits in accordance with these procedures, the nurse will notify the school principal, who may report the matter to the Children’s Division (CD) of the Department of Social Services.

• The school nurse will keep staff, students, parents, and the community informed regarding the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of head lice.