School Lice Policies

Unlike surrounding school districts, Kent schools retain a “no nit” lice policy. Children with live bugs or nits will not be permitted to attend school. “Head Lice – According to district procedure, any child with lice or nits will be excluded from school until adequately treated, and ALL nits are removed. Students will check in at the school office before returning to class. The first two days of absence because of head lice are excused.

In 2010, the Everett School District revised its lice policy; no longer are students excluded from school because of head lice. “EVERETT, Wash. — Everett schools are allowing children with head lice to remain in class while they are being treated. The district says the change in policy is based on thinking that missing class is worse than the risk of spreading the itchy parasites.” Source: The Daily Caller It is important to note that head lice will not go away by themselves. They require treatment which involves physically removing the nits from the hair and killing the lice.

Please note that students in this school district will not be sent home on account of head lice. Manassas schools follow the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the National Association of School Nurses (NASN). Students found with live head lice may remain in school for the day and then be treated at home before returning to school the next day. It is expected at that point that live bugs will no longer be on the head but a few nits may remain. Nits are not contagious.