LICE POLICY

HANC has a Zero Tolerance Policy for NITS/LICE (pediculosis)

HANC maintains a proactive approach to the lice issue. . .

Children in toddler groups through the sixth grade are checked for lice four times a year. Screenings occur on HANC campuses in 1) August, 2) after Sukkot, 3) after Winter Recess and 4) after Pesach. If a child misses the first day of school, he or she must be checked on whatever is his/her first day back before being permitted to attend class. Head checks are arranged by the HANC PTA, and are performed by nurses, physician assistants, professionals and experienced lice checkers.

Middle School/High School students will be checked immediately preceding the beginning of the school year. Any other checks will be done only as deemed necessary by the school nurse. 

If a child has been on a plane, and especially if travel has occurred outside the United States, it is the parent's responsibility to inform the school so that child can be checked for lice prior to attending classes.

If a child is found to have lice . . . 

He/she is removed from contact with classmates and sent home immediately. A list of suggested guidelines for dealing with lice will be sent home when the child is picked up, but it is strongly recommended that the family's personal physician be contacted for instructions. 

The HANC nurse will send a "lice alert" note home to parents of any children who are in the same class or grade (or any other possibly affected group) as a child who has been found to have lice. The nurse will check the head of any sibling in the school. (If a sibling is at a different campus, that school nurse will be contacted to do a check). Every child in the class where a student has been found to have lice, as well as every child in that grade will be checked. Children in possibly affected carpools will be checked. After the first check, the child(ren) found to have lice will be rechecked 10 days later by the school nurse, and if found to be free of lice, there will be no further follow-up unless deemed necessary by the nurse. The final decision is with the school nurse. 

For children whom the school nurse deems it necessary to observe, a plastic bag will be provided on a daily basis and the children will be required to store outerwear in these bags. The girls who have longer hair will be required to wear their hair braided or pulled back. Boys will be required to wear caps to school. 

In a lice outbreak situation, procedures may need to be altered. The ultimate decision as to the actions to follow will lay with the school nurse.

Ultmately, it is the parents' responsibility. . . 

Parents should examine their child's head weekly so they will become more familiar with their children's scalps, and will more readily detect any change in the scalp. Nits are tiny greyish-white eggs attached to the hair, near the scalp, especially behind the ears and at the nape of the neck. Unlike dandruff, nits adhere to the hair and are not flakey. 

A child sent home because he/she has been found to have lice cannot return to school any sooner than the next school day. (The time period may be longer, based on the school nurse's discretion.) 

Should your child come home with head lice, don't panic. Anyone can get head lice. It has nothing to do with cleanliness, nor does it reflect on you as a parent. The problem is easily eliminated. Simply follow these suggested instructions:

1. Examine your child's head to be sure you see the nits.
2. Check all other family members to see if they are infested. Any family member with evidence of head lice must also be treated.

3. Use an effective head lice treatment. Your physician can recommend an effective pediculicide product. When used as directed, it will be very effective in killing head lice.

4. Remove the nits (lice eggs). Because no pediculicide product kills all the eggs, it is very important to remove all traces of the nits to prevent re-infestation. A special fine tooth comb for this task is usually provided with the lice treatment product.

5. Wash all clothes, bed linens and towels in hot water and dry on hot cycle for at least 20 minutes. Items that cannot be safely washed, such as stuffed animals or sofa cushions, should be dry cleaned or stored in sealed plastic bags for a minimum of two weeks.

6. Clean combs and brushes in hot, soapy water. Water should be at least 130°F, and it is advisable to let combs and brushes soak in the hot water for 10 minutes.

7. Vacuum everywhere to make sure your home is free of lice. Vacuum carpets, pillows, mattresses, upholstered furniture; anything that might hold lice. Do a thorough job and discard the vacuum bag promptly.

8. Vacuum your car. If you have vinyl seats, wipe them down thoroughly with a cleanser.

Head lice survive only on humans, and do not affect family pets. To eliminate head lice and nits from your home it is suggested that you follow the directions above. Doing a thorough job will prevent their spread in the neighborhood. 

When the child is nits-free, the parent must accompany the child back to school and wait while the child is checked for nits by school officials. Once it is determined that the child is free from lice, the child will be re-admitted to class. 

Parents of a child who has been treated and is nits free should for at least 10 days check the child daily and use appropriate treatment. The school nurse should be called for suggested treatment measures. 

It is the responsibility of parents whose child is found to have nits or lice, to inform any families in their carpool, playgroup, etc. so these families can take necessary precautions. 

A child who is re-admitted to school after having been deemed "nits/lice free" will be re-checked by the school nurse 10 days after return to school.

The school nurse at your child's campus can answer questions you may have on nits/lice. Feel free to contact her.

It's OUR JOINT responsibility. Working together as a team, parents and HANC can contain any outbreak of lice.

Thank you for your cooperation.

PEANUT FREE PROTOCOL

The Hebrew Academy of Nassau County accommodates peanut allergic children and at the same time strives to balance the needs and rights of all students.

·  Early Childhood and Elementary divisions: Students, parents and staff are asked not to bring or send to school any products that contain peanuts or peanut oil, and to carefully read product ingredients for any peanut content before giving any food to a child. Teachers have the responsibility of overseeing snacks in the classroom. In the nurse's office and each classroom there are quantities of alternative snacks sensitive to all allergies (e.g. milk, eggs, nuts, peanuts). The nurses, working with their administrations, are responsible for all aspects of maintaining the peanut protocol at their respective campuses.

·  The HANC administration requires vendors of food served or sold at ALL HANC campuses to ensure that the products be free of peanut content.

Parents with concerns regarding special needs should consult with their medical professionals, the school administration and the school nurse, to ascertain the best course of action for their child(ren). Where appropriate, parents should contact the school nurse to obtain an "Emergency Health Care Plan" and return the completed form to the nurse as soon as possible.

HANC makes every effort to ensure that the peanut protocol is followed. However, prohibiting the serving of foods containing a specific ingredient, such as peanuts, does not eliminate the possibility of student exposure to that ingredient. Items that do not contain peanuts in any form may be produced in manufacturing plants that also produce peanut products. Even with careful review of ingredient listings, there is no guarantee that a product does not indeed include this ingredient. In addition, the issue of students bringing peanut-containing items from home remains a possibility.

The health and well-being of all students is the top priority of HANC staff. However, parents of allergic children must understand that a school cannot give a 100% peanut free guarantee. Parents must teach their children to always be on their guard and, to the extent possible, children with allergies must take responsibility for the safety precautions inherent in the management of their allergy.

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