Bed Bugs

If there is reason to suspect that bed bugs may be present in a classroom, inspections of the students suspected of having bed bugs will be undertaken. If the child suspected of having bed bugs shares a living environment with any other student(s) in the school district, inspection of those students will also be undertaken. Schools within the district may need to collaborate in order to carry out inspections of students in multiple school. Students found to have bed bugs will be noted.

The parents of students found to have bed bugs will be notified by the end of the school day via phone, and information about how to alleviate the problem will go home with those students.

If a student is found to have bed bugs, a bulletin may be sent home with all students in the affected class to notify parents that a case of bed bugs was found in the class. This bulletin should be sent out at the discretion of the school nurse and administration.

Student found to have bed bugs will be checked again on a daily basis until there is no further sign of bed bug infestation. If there is repeated indication that student is infested with bed bugs and treatment has not occurred after aggressive attempts to help family access appropriate resources to do so, administration in conjunction with the school nurse and/or social worker may decide that the student should be excluded from school until treatment has occurred.

Procedure: 

1. The student suspected of having bed bugs should be discreetly removed from the classroom so that the health aide, or other designee, can examine the student’s clothing and other belongings. Any student sharing a living space with that child should also be checked for bed bugs. The health aide or other designee may need to contact other schools if student shares a living environment with a student at another school.
   
   
   1. Upon notification of a suspected case of bed bugs, examination will take place by looking closely though the student’s clothing and other belongings including backpacks, luggage, books, and other items.
      
      
   2. If bed bugs are found on the student’s clothing or belongings, the bed bug will be removed and collected for identification, taking care to keep the specimen intact by placing it between two pieces of tape.
      
      
   3. If a confirmed beg bug is found on a student, the parent/guardian will be notified no later than the end of the school day via phone. The parent/guardian will be provided information related to detection and methods of eliminating beg bugs as well as local community resources for addressing this problem at home.
      
      
   4. Schools will not be closed due to bed bug presence. If pest management is necessary, it will normally be targeted to certain areas of the school. Ongoing pest management that includes the use of pesticides indoors will be overseen by the school district Maintenance Director, Principal and / or designee and must conform to the school’s integrated pest management plan.
      
      
   5. The school principal, in conjunction with the school nurse, will consider notifying the affected class or classes ONLY after notifying Maintenance. Entire school notification is not necessary unless there is an active infestation in the school verified by pest control or trained personnel.

B. Children returning to school after notification or treatment for bed bugs will be examined by the health aide or other designee to verify the absence of bed bugs prior to entering the classroom. The health aide or other designee will ask the student if their home has been treated or contact parent or guardian to determine when the family is scheduled to have pest control come into their home. Until family has undergone treatment in the home, measures should be taken to limit transmission within the school.

1. 1. At the beginning of every school day, ask the student if their home has been treated and examine students’ clothing and other belongings including backpacks, luggage, books, and other items for the presence of bed bugs. Use a strong flashlight and magnifying glass. It may be necessary to call the parent or guardian to determine when pest control is scheduled to treat the home.
      
      
   2. If students are found to have bed bugs or treatment of the home has not been initiated, the student will change temporarily into substitute clothing while their own clothing (including shoes) is placed in the dryer on the highest heat setting for 30 minutes. After their clothing has been treated, the student will change back into their original clothing and return to class. 
      
      
   3. Backpacks, lunchboxes, and other items that travel back and forth to school will be sealed in plastic containers to prevent bed bugs from being transmitted in school.
      
      
   4. Limit the items carried back and forth between home and school to only essential items.

C. Measures will be taken to prevent transmission of bed bugs within the school. If more than one student in a class is found to have bed bugs, administration may need to contact pest control and letters will be sent to all parents in the affected class/classes notifying them that bed bugs have been found:

1. 1. Do not allow untrained staff to apply pesticides on school property. By law, only IPM trained applicators can apply pesticide (even ready-to-use products like sprays) in schools, and in compliance with the school’s IPM plan.
      
      
   2. Backpacks, lunchboxes, and other items that travel back and forth to school will also be inspected daily with a strong flashlight and magnifying glass. Items will be sealed in plastic containers to prevent bed bugs from being transmitted in school. Items carried back and forth between home and school will be limited to only essential items.
      
      
   3. Hard surfaces can be cleaned with standard cleaning products.
      
      
   4. Remove clutter from classrooms to prevent bed bugs from hiding within (i.e., stacked papers, unused or excessive teaching aids, reduce unused items).
      
      
   5. Seal crevices and utility conduits.
      
      
   6. Avoid having students place all backpacks, lunchboxes, jackets, hats, gloves, scarves, or other items together so that all one student’s items touch those of another student. Regularly clean out the lost and found, sleeping areas, and upholstered furniture.
      
      
   7. If beg bugs have been found repeatedly on a student in a particular classroom, or the student’s parent/guardian has not taken steps to remedy the infestation at home, or more than one student in the same classroom is found to have bed bugs, administration should have the room inspected by a pest management professional or other trained staff. Letters will be sent home to all students in the affected classroom(s).
      
      
   8. If beg bugs have been found repeatedly on a student in a particular classroom and the student’s parent/guardian has not taken steps to remedy the infestation at home despite being offered resources, education, and support and there is evidence of transmission within the school setting despite extensive measures taken to decrease transmission, exclusion of affected student(s) will be taken into consideration by administration.

D. Parents of children whose homes are infested with bed bugs should take measures to eliminate the infestation. Due to stigma, this matter will be handled delicately. Parents will receive information about how to eliminate bed bugs in their home such as names and contact information for local pest control companies, instructions for decreasing risk of transmission, and resources should they not be able to afford home treatment.

1. 1. It is important to be sensitive about the problem. Although bed bugs have nothing to do with cleanliness or socioeconomic status, there is still a stigma that can come with having bed bugs. Parents may be hesitant to admit to having bed bugs, and students may not want others to know they have an infestation at home. Students living in an infested home may also feel anxious or tired during the day.
      
      
   2. Schools should work with the parents of any student living in an infested home to develop strategies for preventing the further spread of bed bugs. They will be provided with information on local community resources and contact information for local pest management companies.
      
      
   3. Schools will follow up with parents on a weekly basis by phone to determine what actions are being taken to eliminate bed bugs. Home remedies and do-it-yourself treatments are usually insufficient and could cause negative health effects or produce potential hazards in the home.
      
      
   4. If a parent lacks the financial resources to hire a pest management professional, they will be referred to the State of Alaska Pesticide Program at 1-800-478-2577 for advice.
      
      
   5. In an infested home, parents should store their child’s freshly laundered clothing in sealed plastic bags until they are put on in the morning. This prevents bed bugs from hiding in the clothing and being carried to school.
      
      
   6. Backpacks, lunchboxes, and other items that travel back and forth to school should also be inspected daily and stored in sealed plastic containers at home to prevent bed bugs from getting into them.
      
      
   7. At school, the student will be provided with a plastic bin in which to store their belongings in order to prevent any bed bugs from spreading to other students’ belongings.
      
      
   8. Continue to use these measures until successful treatment of the home has been verified.

Attachments
Exhibit A: Class Letter
Exhibit B: Student Letter
Exhibit C: Bed Bug Response Flowchart
Exhibit D: Bed Bug Treatment Checklist

KETCHIKAN GATEWAY BOROUGH SCHOOL DISTRICT
Adoption Date:  9/25/2019

Revised 9/21/23

• Exhibit A: Class Letter
• Exhibit D: Bed Bug Treatment Checklist
• Exhibit C: Bed Bug Response Flowchart
• Exhibit B: Student Letter