Fountain Inn Elementary Reopening Tuesday, Bat Problem Fixed

Updated: February 20, 2012

Fountain Inn Elementary School will be open Tuesday, according to district officials.

Students were sent home early Thursday and school was cancelled Friday as crews worked to deal with an ongoing problem with bats in the school.

The school district consulted with state health officials, an animal control company and bat experts.

Crews sanitized areas of the school and installed exit points where bats could leave but not come back.

No bats have been found since Friday.

Updated: February 17, 2012

The bat found Thursday at Fountain Inn Elementary School has tested negative for rabies according to the Department of Health and Environmental Control.

DHEC, along with Greenville school district officials, wildlife removal crews and a Clemson bat expert met at the school Friday morning, to discuss what the best plan was to solve the problem.

"Right now, we're going to go back over the school several times, and just make sure all those access points are closed off," said Oby Lyles, school district spokesperson.

Lyles says there have been no additional sightings, but they will not know until after the weekend about class next week. "Can we say 100% that there are no bats? No. But we are doing everything we can to get them out," he says.

Grandparents Nancy and Norm Tollison kept grandson, Jailyn, at their home while children were out of school Friday.  "I just want them to get it taken care of," said Nancy.  "Let the children get back to school."

So far, five upstate school districts have dealt with bats this winter. In addition to Fountain Inn in Greenville, Woodruff Primary in Spartanburg District 4, Emerald High School in Greenwood 50, Honea Path Middle in Anderson 2, and Clemson Elementary in Pickens County all had to bring in pest crews along with maintenance staff to get rid of bats.

Emerald High School officials say a group of bats was found on an exterior wall. The bats were removed and haven't been back since.

Woodruff Elementary, Clemson Elementary and Honea Path Middle School have all confirmed bats at their schools in the past few weeks.

Updated: February 16, 2012

Greenville County School officials say Fountain Inn Elementary School dismissed early Thursday afternoon because another bat was found inside.  Officials also cancelled Friday classes.

The bat found Thursday has been sent to state health officials for testing.  Officials are still waiting on the results but one bat has already tested negative for rabies. 

The district sent a message to parents Thursday afternoon after the decision was made to call off classes Friday.  The letter stated safety is the main concern.

Officials plan to meet with the Department of Health and Environmental Control, an animal removal company, and a bat expert from Clemson.  They will discuss how to move forward.

Portion of letter sent to parents Thursday:

"During the last three weeks, the school has worked closely with the district administration to remedy the situation.  It was originally thought that the bats were only in the roof above the gymnasium, resulting in the closing of the gym.

An animal removal company was brought in and, during their evaluation of the building, found bats in one wall in another area of the school.  In all, three bats have been found in occupied areas of the building, including two bats during the school day.  Special bat valves have also been installed that allow the bats to fly out, but not back into the building."

The school district says missed days will be excused.

Since Monday is a holiday, school was not scheduled to take place.  

We'll keep you updated on whether class will resume Tuesday.  

7 On Your Side asked an expert, Assistant Professor John Storm from USC Upstate, if the bats carry diseases and if parents should be worried. 

He said parents shouldn't be concerned. He said less than one person a year gets rabies from bats and they rarely carry diseases.

He said you can get a fungus from the feces but it's typically only harmful in massive groups of bats and only three have been found in Fountain Inn Elementary.

Storm said bats like to live in open spaces and roost during the day but at night they want to be outside looking for moths so they're likely trying to get out as fast as crews are trying to get them out.

Storm said brown bats commonly like to live in attics in homes. Bats are not protected in the State of South Carolina according to the Department of Natural Resources except certain species that aren't found close-by. 

This type of bat is more common out West and there are only a few thousand in the Upstate Storm says. 

7 On Your Side also received a report that there were bats in a school in Honea Path. Jan Bratcher, Anderson School District Two spokesperson had this to say:

"Two weeks ago a custodian at Honea Path Middle School noticed a bat flying around the school after hours. He reported it to school officials who called the district’s facilities director. They called a pest control company who came out and got rid of the bat and installed a screen to keep the bats out of the school. No students were at the school at the time of the incident and there have not been anymore reported bats spotted at the school since."

Crews also continue to make progress to eradicate bats from Clemson Elementary School.

Julie Thompson, of the Pickens County Schools, says they do the work on the weekends to get everything done.

As of Monday morning, the exterior work was completed.  They are still doing inspections, but most of the work has been finished.

Posted: February 15, 2012

Fountain Inn Elementary School continues to deal with bats inside the school

Officials say six classrooms were emptied after a bat was found in a wing of the school Wednesday.

A search of the building turned up more bats in the walls of the school.  Eight rooms, four of which are classrooms, were sealed to make sure there is a separation between the bats.

The school notified state health officials three weeks ago about the bat problem.

Last week, a professional animal removal service was brought in to remove bats from the gymnasium.

More than 300 bats were seen leaving the school.

Maintenance crews continue work to seal off any areas where bats may be getting inside.

The bat found in a classroom Wednesday was sent to Columbia for testing and a phone message was sent to parents. The bat tested negative for rabies.

The school will operate on a regular schedule Thursday, but will areas will remain sealed off until the bats are removed.

SC Department of Health and Environmental Control officials do not believe this poses a public health hazard.

Adam Myrick, of DHEC, says the school district immediately notified the agency when the bats were discovered.