Lice
Please check your children regularly for lice. Watch for frequent scratching of the scalp, brown or white eggs (nits) on the hair shaft that may look like dandruff but are not easily brushed away, and live lice which are brown and move very quickly. Encourage your child not to share combs, brushes, hair decorations or hats. Per GPISD handbook, students with live lice or signs of active infestation will be excluded from school. Students who have been sent home should receive prompt treatment for lice and expected to return to school the following day, free of live organisms. If head lice are found, the hair must be treated before the child returns to school on the following day. Upon return to school, the student and parent/guardian must report directly to the school nurse, provide information about the treatment utilized and have the student’s hair checked before reporting to class. Chronic cases and instances of non-treatment will result in unexcused absences. Please contact the campus nurse with any questions, or if you have treated your child for head lice.
Additional information
Please encourage your child to start each day with a healthy breakfast. Look at the lunch menu with your child and encourage healthy choices. In response to the increase in the number of children diagnosed with food allergies, students may not share food at school. Parents, please take consideration when packing lunch for your student that other students in the class or grade may have certain food allergies. Common foods that cause allergies are nuts (peanuts-including peanut butter, almonds pecans, etc.), seafood (shrimp, crawfish, fish), egg (including ingredients containing eggs such as baked goods like cake/cupcakes and cookies), soy (such as soy milk or soy sauce), and milk.
Adequate sleep contributes to a student’s overall health and well-being. Children who do not get enough sleep have a higher risk for many health issues. The CDC recommends children from 6–12 years get 9 to 12 hours per 24 hours. .
Daily physical activity can help children build strong bones and muscles, control weight, reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, and reduce the risk of developing health issues..
Hand washing is an easy and effective way to help prevent the spread of illnesses. Soap and water are recommended for use after using the restroom, before and after eating, after sneezing or coughing, and after touching an animal or any garbage. Hand washing tips from CDC:
