Woodburn School District
DIVERSE IN CULTURE, UNIFIED IN MISSION
Woodburn Schools

965 North Boones Ferry Road

Woodburn, Oregon 97071

Tel. 503-981-9555

Fax 503-981-8018
DISTRICT HEAD LICE (Pediculosis) INFORMATION
& PROCEDURE
GENERAL STATEMENTS
If a child is assessed as having live head lice, confidentiality must be maintained. The child’s parent or
guardian should be notified that day by telephone and a note sent home with the child at the end of the school
day stating that prompt, proper treatment of this condition is required in the best interest of the child and his or
her classmates. The child should be permitted to remain in class unless the parent chooses to come pick them
up before the end of the school day. The child will be allowed to return to school after one treatment has been
given and a recheck by staff has confirmed that live lice are no longer present.
The school nurse will assess the need for and deliver pediculosis education according to district curriculum to
students, families, and staff as necessary and particularly in facilities or families with a history of chronic
infestations. Most often the presence of head lice on a child is asymptomatic and does not present any longterm health effects.
PARENT EDUCATION
The school nurse, or office staff responsible for checking for live lice in the nurse’s absence, should send the
letter, Parent Notification of Live Lice to the student’s parents when a case of live head lice has been found on
their student. This letter is designed to actively involve and educate parents.
The presence of live lice on the student’s head should be demonstrated to the parent/guardian whenever
possible, and instruction to the parent/guardian should be given on how to inspect the head for lice and nits.
The school nurse may also offer to inspect the parent/guardian/family member(s). In cases of re-infestation,
health services staff will review the correct treatment and control measures with parents/guardians.
At least once per year, the district will send the Annual Parent Lice Information Letter to parents for
educational purposes so that they understand and are able to comply with their responsibilities under this
policy. Health services personnel may also send this letter to all parents in a school when 3 or more
cases of live lice in non-related children are discovered within a two week period.
The health team will keep the district website’s Health Information pages updated with the most current
and evidence-based lice treatment and prevention information for parents, staff, and other community
members to access.
STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES
The school nurse is the primary person responsible for screening students for head lice and will ensure that all
faculty and staff are aware of the district policy regarding head lice. Because the school nurse is not stationed at
each school every school day, the school nurse will provide appropriate training for all volunteers, faculty, and
staff who may assist in screening students on the days the nurse is not present. School staff are responsible for
knowing and following district lice policy and procedures once they have been trained by the school nurse, and
must update and follow the re-check schedule for students with lice in their school.
All staff will maintain strict confidentiality during the screening of students and family members, and make
every effort to ensure that students are not able to be individually identified by classmates in this process.
Woodburn School District 103 complies with provisions of the various civil rights laws, such as the Fair Employment Practices Act, the Americans with
Disabilities Act, Title IX Regulations, and section 504 of PL 93.112 in employment, educational programs, and activities.
Revised – 12/2014
Woodburn School District
DIVERSE IN CULTURE, UNIFIED IN MISSION
Woodburn Schools

965 North Boones Ferry Road

Woodburn, Oregon 97071

Tel. 503-981-9555

Fax 503-981-8018
PARENT RESPONSIBILITIES
Head lice are a community issue, not just a school issue, and parents should be checking their children
for the presence of lice periodically at home. If live lice are found, it is the parents’ responsibility to
ensure that approved lice treatment has been initiated at home. Parents should follow evidence-based
treatment recommendations and continue to check their family members for live lice throughout the
two-week treatment period. Parents are required to accompany their child to school to be re-checked by
staff following the discovery of live lice.
Parents may not request that head lice checks be done on any student in the district other than their own.
If a parent feels their child may have contracted head lice from another student at an activity outside of
school, it is up to their own discretion whether or not they contact that child’s parents to request that
they check their child at home.
STUDENT IDENTIFICATION AND SCREENING
Students who complain of itching or irritation of the scalp should be examined by trained staff for the
presence of head lice. Classroom teachers should report all suspected infestations directly to the school
nurse.
Screenings should be performed in the health room or appropriate area that provides adequate privacy
and helps preserve the dignity of students. Mass screenings are disruptive and waste valuable
educational time; they increase the potential for lice phobia, unnecessary use of pediculocides, and
social ostracism, and may also compromise student right to confidentiality/privacy. Symptomatic
individuals should be referred discreetly to be checked, and be returned to class in like manner.
If a student is found to have live head lice, the student’s parents should be encouraged to examine
siblings, including those attending other schools, within twenty-four (24) hours, and to treat those found
to have live lice.
STUDENT EXCLUSION AND READMITTANCE
If a student is found to have live head lice, the parent/guardian should be notified immediately by
telephone. Unless a parent chooses to come pick their child up to start immediate treatment, the student
will return to the classroom and the Parent Notification of Live Lice and Marion County Health Lice
Pamphlet will be sent home with the child at the end of the school day.
The day a student returns to school following discovery of live lice, the school nurse or trained staff
should inspect them for live head lice infestation before readmission to the classroom.
***Please see attached PROCEDURE***
TREATMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL
District personnel should not recommend a specific pediculocidal treatment, either prescription or nonprescription, but advise parents/guardians to consult their physician or pharmacist for advice on the
proper use of an approved treatment for head lice. Environmental sprays or fumigants will not be used
on school grounds to treat or prevent head lice.
Woodburn School District 103 complies with provisions of the various civil rights laws, such as the Fair Employment Practices Act, the Americans with
Disabilities Act, Title IX Regulations, and section 504 of PL 93.112 in employment, educational programs, and activities.
Revised – 12/2014
Woodburn School District
DIVERSE IN CULTURE, UNIFIED IN MISSION
Woodburn Schools

965 North Boones Ferry Road

Woodburn, Oregon 97071

Tel. 503-981-9555

Fax 503-981-8018
DISTRICT HEAD LICE PROCEDURE
When a student is referred to the nurse or trained staff in the office to have a head-check performed for
the suspected presence of live lice, the following steps and schedule will be instituted:
1. Initial Inspection
a. Student is brought to office discreetly, and checked by trained staff for the presence of
live lice. If live lice are found, parents are called immediately and have the option of
picking student up to begin treatment; please emphasize to parent that they must
accompany their student to school when they return the next day, and the student
will be re-checked in front of them. If parent not able to be reached, or chooses not to
pick student up, student will be sent back to class for the remainder of the day (long hair
should be secured in a braid or pony-tail.) Student should be entered on lice-tracking
sheet.
b. If only nits (eggs) are found, student will be sent back to class and should be entered on
the lice tracking sheet to be re-checked in one week. In one week, recheck student (refer
to 1.a.) If only nits found, enter results on tracking sheet and do a final check in one
week.
2. Second Inspection
a. Student must return to school with parent following discovery of live lice. Student should
be re-checked by trained staff in the presence of the parent. If live lice are found, parent
must immediately take student home to continue treatment. Enter results on tracking
sheet and remind parent that they must accompany child to school when they next return
and their child will be re-checked in front of the parent. Student will be excluded from
school until they are free of live lice. Please refer to 3.a if live lice still present.
b. If only nits are found, student should be re-checked by trained staff in one week; enter
results on tracking sheet.
3. Final Inspection
a. If student has returned after treatments and continues to have live lice present, please
refer family to their doctor, and/or the school nurse. Student will be excluded from
school until free of live lice.
b. If no live lice are found this inspection, student will not be re-checked again unless a new
episode of infestation is suspected/reported.
Woodburn School District 103 complies with provisions of the various civil rights laws, such as the Fair Employment Practices Act, the Americans with
Disabilities Act, Title IX Regulations, and section 504 of PL 93.112 in employment, educational programs, and activities.
Revised – 12/2014