Murfreesboro School Head Lice Policy

Schools in Murfreesboro do not hold to a strict “no nit” policy, however, children with live lice may be sent home for treatment.

MURFREESBORO AREA SCHOOLS

No student shall be denied an education solely by reason of head lice infestation and his/her educational program shall be restricted only to the extent necessary to minimize the risk of transmitting the infestation.

Response to Pediculosis (head lice) in the school setting is governed by the rules and regulations of the Tennessee Department of Health. The TDOH has updated its rules and regulations, and the TDOH rules require schools, day care centers, and Head Start authorities to follow the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for head lice infestations.

To help prevent the spread of head lice, the following steps should be taken:

1. Students will be checked for head lice by the school nurse or designated school staff when demonstrating symptoms of infestation.
2. It shall be the responsibility of the principal or school nurse to notify the parents when lice or nits are found to be present in a child's hair. A letter shall be sent home with the child to explain the condition, how to care for the conditions, requirements for readmission and deadlines for satisfactory completion of the treatment.
3. To begin the treatment process, parents may be asked to pick up students diagnosed with live head lice as soon as possible. However, such students are not required to be sent home early, and they can go home at the end of the day, be treated, and return to school after appropriate treatment has begun.
4. Prior to readmission, satisfactory evidence must be submitted to school personnel that the student has been treated for pediculosis (head lice). This evidence may include but not be limited to proof of treatment with a pediculicide product (head lice shampoo) or satisfactory examination by a school health official.

A student shall be expected to have met all requirements for treatment and return to school no later than two (2) days following exclusion for head lice. All days in excess of the allowable period shall be marked as unexcused absences and referred to the attendance supervisor at the proper time.

Source: Murfreesboro City Schools Board Policy

LiceDoctors is here to help with the stress of dealing with childhood head lice outbreaks. Call 615-953-0047 for same day service so your child can return to school with confidence that he or she is lice free.