Bryant Public Schools has released a statement that Bryant High School is experiencing issues with bats in the exterior portion of Building 10.
District spokesperson Devin Sherrill stated, “The district has been working with a wildlife company on a plan to remove the protected species. Maintenance personnel monitored the area under the bats, inspecting and sanitizing the sidewalks before students and staff members arrived each morning.”
Sherrill says the roost is located in an area of the building where a beam comes into contact with the 4th floor roof, making it difficult to access. To give an idea of the height, over 70 feet of scaffolding must be erected to reach the area. To minimize interruption to students and classes, the district made plans to schedule the work for the summer months.
On Thursday, February 23 the Arkansas Department of Health confirmed rabies in a dead bat found on school grounds. After taking student statements and watching video, administrators determined only one student came in possible contact with the affected bat. The parent was notified and confirmed the student did not directly touch the diseased animal. The Arkansas Department of Health followed up with the parent and student and is working with Bryant High School to inform all parents at the high school campus.
The rabies notification has expedited the timeline to remove the bats. Therefore, at noon on Friday, February 24, the district will begin erecting scaffolding to reach the area. Since bats are a protected species, care is being taken to follow all guidelines. The bats will be removed through exclusion, where the bats fly out rather than trapping them in the building. All entry points will then be sealed to prevent future problems.
The entire abatement process is expected to take 10 days. The work area will be secured and student traffic entering and exiting the area will be re-routed during the project.
Bryant Public Schools is committed to working with the Arkansas Department of Health and the wildlife removal company to provide a safe environment for students and staff.