WASHINGTON 鈥� Due to bedbugs and other pests, Savoy Elementary School will be closed Monday and Tuesday for a 鈥渢horough cleaning,鈥� D.C. public schools officials said Friday.
In a letter sent to parents, Chancellor Antwan Wilson said all 鈥渟oft materials鈥� in the building, including rugs, cots, blankets and pillows, would be replaced. The school would then be inspected by the health department.
The letter stated that school officials planned to tell parents by 3 p.m. Sunday where school will be held during the cleaning. The Department of General Services started cleaning the school Friday evening.
The closure comes amidst parents鈥� complaints that rats, mice and bedbugs have been a problem since November. The school is located at 2400 Shannon Place Southeast.
Some of the rodent concerns were addressed on the school鈥檚 Facebook page on Jan. 16. The post stated that a 鈥渕ass trapping鈥� for rodents had been conducted over the winter holiday and that a pest control company 鈥渉as performed an extensive assessment of the school.鈥�
The posting disputed that there was a bedbug infestation, though Friday鈥檚 letter referenced 鈥渢he recent threat of pests and bed bugs鈥� as the reason for the closure.
There wasn鈥檛 a clear time frame given for how long the cleaning would take. Michelle Lerner, a spokeswoman for the school system, said in an email that officials planned to provide updates to parents on Sunday regarding 鈥渨here students should plan to attend school for the next several weeks.鈥�
鈥淲e will also communicate where Savoy students can access meal service (breakfast, lunch, and supper) on Monday and Tuesday,鈥� Lerner said.
Parents were advised to direct health related questions to their doctors.
