School Attendance
Ripley County
Caring Communities Partnership
Core Result: Children and Families Healthy
Benchmark: School attendance
February 2002
Objective:
To decrease the number of school absences due to head lice in the Ripley County R-IV School District (K – 8th grade) from 91.8% ADA (average daily attendance) in the 01-02 school year to 93% ADA in the 02-03 school year.
Strategies
What Works!
School attendance is important for school success. Research shows that students who attend school regularly will have better grades, increased MAP scores, decreased dropout rates, responsibility and preparedness for life skills, etc. The Ripley County Partnership has partnered with the Ripley County R-IV School to decrease absenteeism due to head lice. Many incidents of absences are caused by repeat occurrences.
Four strategies were implemented in 1998 to decrease student’s school absences due to head lice and poor hygiene.
The school nurse was asked to monitor children that were identified as having chronic head lice. She assisted the children and their families with the removal of nits and obtaining treatment. Special efforts are made to families with repeat cases of head lice. The nurse was also in charge of educating the parents and the students about treatment of head lice and maintaining methods of a lice free environment.
The LiceMeister combs were purchased to assist the nurse with removing the nits from students who were not receiving adequate treatment or received no treatment at home. These combs are one of the most effective tools in removing nits from the student’s hair leading to a quicker and more successful treatment. As a result of the LiceMeister combs, the head lice are being controlled and the students are able to receive successful treatments and go back to school.
Hygiene packs were distributed among all the students in grades K-8 twice a year. The packs were distributed once a year until private donations were received. Classroom education is provided when the students receive their hygiene packs from the nurse. Students also receive education on how to avoid head lice exposure. This education reminds the students about the importance and advantages that good hygiene.
A washer and dryer were also purchased to be utilized by the school district for students that are coming to school in an unkempt condition despite attempts made by the school staff to work with the parents who have repeat occurrences. This allows the school nurse to remove lice from their clothing and assist the family to understand the importance of cleanliness. “This effort has been valuable when services agencies have not been able to rectify the situation” –School Teacher.
What we have changed:
The RCCCP has increased community awareness of lice prevention and the importance of sustaining good hygiene. These efforts empower the students and build up their self-esteem. This has also assisted students to break the current cycle that stems from a lack of education and knowledge about hygiene.
Results
The 1998-99 school year began the baseline for our data.
* There was a flu epidemic in the state of Missouri during the 00-01 school year.
Funding/Return on Investment
Funding Sources Amounts
Caring Communities | $830.00 |
School Investment (Nurse) | $600.00 |
In Kind | $720.00 |
Cost of NOT Intervening
According to Dr. Bounds, the Doniphan R-I School Superintendent, student absences for each day of school missed, that is determined by a consolidation of three formulas, will cost the school $21.00 per student per day. In 1998, the cost of absences due to head lice cost the school $1,785.00. The head lice prevention has reduced this amount to $168.00 for the 2001-02 school year at the Ripley County R-IV School.
Noteworthy
The RCCCP School Site Council has had a tremendous success with this project. The collaboration of Caring Communities, the Ripley County R-IV School District, and the community has been the key to this success. Without this strategy, students would miss school, their grades would drop, lower their MAP scores, be retained, have low self-esteem and would be more likely to be a behavior problem.
