PRINGLE, Pa. — Bed bug sightings have been causing concern at a school for the past couple of months.
On Monday night, school officials at West Side Career and Technology Center addressed how they have been working to fix the issue.
School officials at West Side C.T.C. said there have been four separate bed bug sightings over the past couple of months.
In response, about $10,000 has been spent to fix the problem.
The building has been inspected more than six times. Canines were also brought in to sniff out the bugs.
Over Presidents Day weekend, the entire place was fumigated after another bed bug was found days earlier.
"Whatever it takes to ensure student safety in the building, cleanliness and good hygiene, and we'll continue to stay on top of it," Superintendent of Record Thomas Duffy said.
School officials said in about four separate instances, one single bed bug was found. That was then reported to custodial staff, who then told the administration.
Pest control was then brought in after each sighting to clean the building.
"Each time they've been here on-premise, they've never found any evidence of bed bugs in the building, beyond the one that was prompted by students causing us to call them in the first place," Duffy said.
Because of that, school officials believe these bed bugs are likely being brought into the building.
Parents at Monday's Joint Operating Committee meeting were relieved to hear the school is working to remedy the situation.
"I mean it's scary, you know because getting them in your house it's a lot of money to get rid of them. Hopefully, this is taken care of, and this won't be an issue moving forward," Ashley Franklin said.
The last bed bug sighting was on February 18.
School officials believe the building is now bug-free but are asking all students and parents to be on the lookout for these little critters.