“It was really the time we needed for the building to air out,” she said, noting it was their decision to close. “We were taking extra precautions.”
Bedbugs — which have become a growing problem in recent years — are nocturnal insects about the size of an apple seed. They are not known to carry diseases, but their bites leave behind itchy red bumps.
City Day officials sent parents of the 165 K-8 children a letter and informational pamphlet on how to identify if a family has a bedbug problem.
Carr said this was the first time they’ve dealt with a bedbug issue, and the school worked under the guidance of Public Health – Dayton & Montgomery County.
Public Health spokesman Bill Wharton said the department consulted with the school and did an inspection Tuesday, during which time he said no bedbugs were located.
Asked how common this problem is in area schools, Wharton said, “It’s not very common at all.”
He was only aware of today’s treatment at City Day and at Longfellow Alternative School, 245 Salem Ave., in March, 2009.
Dayton Public Schools spokeswoman Jill Moberley said the Miami Valley Child Development Center leased space at the school where a nursery and pre-kindergarten center were temporarily closed to treat bedbugs.
A nursery worker noticed the tiny bugs crawling around a hole near a student’s backpack and the area was fumigated.
“All seems to be well,” Moberely said, noting the district’s facilities department has a plan in place to address bedbugs if they become a problem.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2094 or mkissell@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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