D.C. Elementary School With a History of Rodents and Bed Bugs Closes for Disinfecting

For the second time this year, Savoy Elementary School in the District of Columbia has experienced a bed bug issue. Earlier this year, the school had such problems with bed bugs and rodents that it was forced to shut down for three weeks and relocate its students while it cleaned and treated the building.

It seems that it isn’t yet in the clear. On Thursday, Principal Donyale Butler sent a letter to the families of Savoy, indicating that a dead bed bug had been found. Apparently, a student had reported a bed bug bite, which prompted the school to take action. Upon inspection, the dead bug was found in the kindergarten classroom. There were no bed bugs found anywhere else at Savoy.

Fox 5 News reported that the bitten child’s doctor could not verify the origin of the bite. Savoy, nonetheless, had to follow protocol and disinfect the entire school.

Washington, D.C. Public Schools issued a statement:

DC Public Schools communicated with families at Savoy Elementary School about a reported bite on an individual. DCPS followed protocol to thoroughly clean and disinfect the location, and in the process found one dead bed bug. We are committed to keeping the Savoy Elementary School building clean and clear to maximize a safe learning environment for all students. We will continue to monitor the building and will communicate with families on any update.

Fox 5 shared the original letter on its Facebook page: