Control of Communicable Diseases
The district is required to cooperate with the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency to prevent and control communicable diseases in school-age children. When there is good reason to believe a student has a contagious or infectious disease, the parent/guardian will be contacted, and the student sent home. If there is reason to believe a student is suffering from a recognized contagious or infectious disease, the student will be excluded from school until school officials are satisfied that the student is no longer contagious and is well enough to participate in school.
Pediculosis Policy (Head Lice)
Head lice (pediculosis) and nits (eggs) are not a threat to health, but they are a common and frustrating nuisance. The problem of head lice is ongoing, difficult to detect until advanced and often hard to control. Parents/guardians are encouraged to inspect their child’s hair as part of their regular hygiene routine. Early, prompt treatment of students with head lice ensures minimal disruption of their education. Successful treatment and control of head lice, including the prevention of reinfestation, is dependent upon the manual removal of all nits after the use of medicated shampoo (pediculicide).
When a student is identified as having head lice, they will be sent home at the end of the school day for treatment. It is the responsibility of the parent to treat and control head lice infestation. After treatment at home, it is mandatory for the student to return to school via the health office for inspection. The student may return to class provided that medicated treatment (pediculicide) has been initiated and there are no live lice in the hair, even if nits (eggs) are still present. Parents are encouraged to continue removing nits until the problem is resolved.
Classroom or large group screenings are not utilized because there is no evidence to support that mass screenings help to control head lice infestation or reinfestation. The School Attendance Review Board (SARB) may intervene in case of noncompliance or chronic infestations requiring repeated exclusions from school.