Bat problem under control, LISD says

By LPR Staff

Editor/POST-REGISTER

Parents remain concerned about a letter sent home in March, warning of a possible bat infestation at Plum Creek Elementary.

The letter, dated March 12, noted bats had been found in the hallway and a maintenance area, both before and after school hours, and that steps were being taken to remove the bats.

Two months later, some pare

nts continue to complain that the infestation continues to cause problems, and that the smell in some parts of the school is overwhelming.

“There are infections that can be transmitted by spores in the air from the bat guano,” one parent wrote. “To my knowledge nothing was done over Spring Break like promised from the school in a letter that was sent home.”

However, Acting Superintendent Tina Knudsen contends this week action has been, and continues to be, taken to ensure the safety of the campus and its students.

“We have taken quite a few steps… to resolve this issue,” she said. “According to our Maintenance Department, all that remains is a smell in one computer lab. The computer lab equipment has been moved to a different room and now the affected room is empty.”

Knudsen said the computer equipment had been relocated, but the lab itself was not moved, because there was no space to relocate the functional lab.

“The lab is closed until further notice, for both staff and students, until the room can be remediated,” she said. “All cautions will be in place to keep both staff and student safe when the room is worked on in the near future.

Knudsen said the District continues to work this week toward a solution for remediation of the affected area, and that the District remains dedicated to ensuring student safety.

The first letter distributed by the school in March said the District had not identified any students or staff who had contact with the bats, and there are no known reports of any children or staff suffering medical problems as a result of the issue.