The new school year isn’t even two weeks old in Pickens County, yet a middle school is trying to get a handle on a outbreak of head lice. About 30 students have been sent home so far from Pickens Middle School in Jasper, according to school principal, Dr. Chris LeMieux.

The school nurse and other staff members checked sixth and seventh grade students for head lice as soon as the problem was detected. The children who appeared to have lice or signs of lice were sent home and given a letter from the nurse on how to rectify the problem. The letter states if a child is found to have head lice, they must be re-examined by the school nurse before they be will be allowed to return to school.

Letter sent home with all Pickens County Middle School students