Dear Parents, Caregivers, and Staff:
I recently received an email from an elementary school parent who found a tick on her daughter after school. The tick may have come from outdoor recess play, but there is no way of really ascertaining the exact location of contact. Ticks, primarily, are on the ground and climb up the legs from the shoes and socks. However, they can also be blown by the wind or be spread when we brush by a tree. Unfortunately, we are not able to provide complete protection from this increasingly prevalent insect. We do not spray for ticks, as we maintain a “green” approach to the environment that does not permit the use of toxic chemicals in order to maintain the health of our educational community. We do care for our lawn so that we prevent long grass and debris that lessens the opportunity for tick contact.
The attached flyer provides important information from the CDC and other qualified resources with regard to preventing tick contact and responding to ticks found on the body. If a tick is found on a child in school, the nurse will respond as required.
https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/resources/toolkit/factsheets/Hooks_Ticks-and-Lyme-Disease-508.pdf
Our nurses are available for your questions and concerns about ticks and other health issues that affect our students.
Sincerely,
Dr. Frances Wills