Nassau County School Lice Policy

While there is no required school lice policy in Nassau County, Long Island, the county government web site recommends that children be kept at home “until after the first treatment”. Basically, each school comes up with its own policy. Some schools retain ���no nit” policies whereby students with any sign of nits (eggs) are not permitted into schools, while others schools have more liberal policies which call for students to be treated and then they may enter school, even if they still have nits. The latter policy is in accordance with recommendations of the National School Nursing Association (NSNA), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Association of Pediatrics (AAP). According to Kenneth Hawkins of the Long Island New York Attendance Teachers Association, “students shouldn’t miss more than one day of school because of head lice but often miss four or five days.” Read more:  www.nassaucountyny.gov

The following are some of the Nassau County school districts that maintain “no nit” policies:

Roslyn Public Schools

“Children sent home with evidence of head lice must be “nit” free before they are permitted to re-enter school.” Read more:  www2.roslynschools.org

Port Washington Public Schools

“You must notify the school nurse if your child has head lice. If your child is suspected to have head lice or nits you will be contacted to pick up your child from school. Port Washington School District has a "No Nit Policy"; therefore, your child must be examined by the school nurse before returning to school. Your child will also be re-check in 7-10 days after treatment to assess for reinfestation. Please consider head lice checks on the weekends and if treatment is needed it can be done immediately so your child will be lice free for school. Please do not ignore any complaints of itchiness or signs of lice. Si Se Sospecha que su nino/nina tiene piojos usted va a ser llamado para que venga a recogar su nino/nina comoen el pasado el districto de escuela de Port Washington requiere extrictamente “polisa de no piojos.” Su nino/nina no se permitira en la escuela hasta que el/ella este sin piojos. Su nino/nina va entonces a tener un chequeo semanal por la enfermera por favor este en alerta/o de picazon o senales de piojos.” Read more: portnet.k12.ny.us

Herricks Public Schools

“A child who is sick will not be able to perform well in school and is likely to spread the illness to other children and staff. Our school policy states that you should not send your child to school if he/she has: fever in the past 24 hours,vomiting in the past 24 hours, diarrhea in the past 24 hours, chills, strep throat and pink eye (must have been taking an antibiotic for at least 24 hours before returning to school), bad cold with a very runny nose or bad cough, and head lice(must be nit free). Read more: www.herricks.org

The below districts have more lenient head lice admission policies.

These schools require that students be sent home to be treated but will allow students back in once the child has been treated, even if some nits remain. Some of the decision-making is at the discretion of the school nurse as to the severity of the nit infestation.

Lynbrook Public Schools

“On the first day of each school year, students will be screened for lice. It is the responsibility of the PARENTS to check their children regularly and to report any cases of lice to the school nurse as soon as they are detected.  Return to school must be cleared by the nurse. Read more: www.lynbrookschools.org

Valley Stream Public Schools

“Notifying parents is a courtesy and not required; it is this district’s policy policy to inform parents of an outbreak. The district does not have a “no nit” policy and students may return as long as they have had an initial treatment.”

Great Neck Public Schools

Head lice” is a benign medical condition. Parents are the first line of defense in checking their children's hair for evidence of lice and/or nits (eggs) and if either is present treating them immediately using an appropriate product. The parent should then contact the school nurse. The school nurse will screen any child who is suspected of having lice. If lice and/or nits are present, the nurse will then screen any siblings in that school and the classes involved. Children who are found in the nurse's medical judgment to have live lice or large numbers of nits are to be sent home with instructions as to the best way to treat this problem. Parents/guardians of all children in the affected class(es) will be notified in writing. In order for the child to be readmitted to school after treatment, the child must be accompanied by an adult for reexamination by the nurse. Should the nurse judge that the treatment was not adequate or effective, the family will be informed that further treatment is necessary and the child will be checked again before admission is granted.”

Garden City Public Schools

“Garden City Public Schools have instituted the following policy in regard to students identified as having head lice. The following procedures are to be followed:

1. Individuals suspected of having head lice will be checked by the school nurse. If the suspicion is confirmed, the child will be sent home and the parents shall be advised to contact their physician for advice and direction in treating the situation. Further, they shall be informed that their child will not be allowed to return to school until the condition has been thoroughly treated and the child does not pose a risk of further transmission.
2. In the primary and elementary schools, other children in the class of the infected child shall be examined. On the secondary level, other students will be examined as indicated. Any individuals found to have head lice shall be sent home with the same notifications as above.
3. Records shall be checked to see if any infected child has a child has a sibling or siblings in the district. If siblings are in attendance in an school in our district, those children shall also be inspected for head lice. It shall be the responsibility of the school nurse first identifying the case to notify the nurse, in the other schools where siblings are in attendance.
4. Upon returning to school after treatment, a student must report directly to the nurse's office for inspection and permission to return. The child will be re-admitted when the school nurse determines the child does not pose a risk of transmission.
5. Approximately a week to ten days after a child has been treated, that child shall be re-examined as a precaution that re-infection has not occurred.
6. When an instant of head lice is discovered in a particular class, a general notice shall be given to the parents of the class alerting them to the fact that a case(s) of head lice has been discovered.”

Read more: hemlock.gardencity.k12.ny.us

Hewlett-Woodmere Public Schools

Children with lice will be sent home that day to be treated. To be readmitted, the student needs to be treated at home and then will be checked by nurse. If the case is deemed not contagious children may stay in school. Nits that are closer than ½ from the scalp should be removed. For children in the Franklin Early Childhood Center, all nits must be removed. Parents will be provided with lice education information.