Lice happens. In every school, in every socioeconomic bracket, in every town. We do our best at BPC to keep lice exposure at a minimum and, when an exposure occurs, that it disrupts classroom life, students, and families as little as possible.
The school administration is grateful to the parent body for educating yourselves about lice (See the Lice Tips below) and being both proactive and responsible about this annoyance.
Parents' Circle Lice Tips
No parent or school welcomes an outbreak of lice – but unfortunately, outbreaks are inevitable. Our goal is to minimize (as best as possible) the impact on families, staff, and most important of all, the educational process.
How do I know if my child has lice?
1. It won’t be obvious. This is why weekly screening is strongly recommended. Combing your child's hair with a fine toothed metal lice combs is the best way. It's a 5-10 minute chore.
2. There are very few symptoms.
3. In some cases (not all), the head may be itchy.
4. In some cases (not all), there may be red marks behind the ears and neck.
What should I do if my child has lice?
1. Notify BPC immediately (Contact Lucy Morris or Sonam Gonsar). Please also tell us who else may have been exposed at a sleep-over, play-date, carpool, etc.
2. Contact the other families of children who may have been exposed.
3. While BPC does not have a rigid "no lice & no nits" policy, we urge responsible action. (See bottom and please note that while many over-the-counter products may claim to kill live lice, there is no treatment that can substitute for hand-removal of nits. Family, friends, or professionals must do this.)
4. A number of parents at the school may be available guidance, questions, & support. Would you like to learn more? Or would you be available to help others with this? Contact lowerschooloffice@blackpinecircle.org or parentscircle@gmail.com
Solutions:
There are a number of local businesses that offer resources and lice removal services. While Black Pine Circle School does not endorse or stand by any service or product that claims to get rid of head lice, many many parents have relied on these services with positive results. Please add your comments below about positive experiences with these providers of lice/nit control services.
Lice Control in Castro Valley: www.lice-control.com, 510-727-1280. They come to your home and employ the latest technology, a glorified hair dryer that kills lice and nits very handily. They come back if it didn't work 100%.
Montclair’s NitPixies: www.nitpixies.com, 510-530-4247. a favorite of many BPC families
Nit-Wits: www.nit-wits.com, 925-787-6020.
Other Resources:
HeadLice.org
