By BOB MARTIN
Eagle Times Staff
NEWPORT, N.H. — Hundreds of bats were discovered to be hibernating in the ceilings of Richards School in Newport, causing SAU 43 Superintendent Donna Magoon to cancel school on Monday to have a pest control company conduct a full inspection.
On Monday evening, after hearing from town and state officials, as well as the report by Monadnock Pest and Wildlife Services, Magoon informed the school community that the elementary school would be opened back up on Tuesday. There are now plans set in place to monitor their movement in the ceiling periodically, before removing the bats in March.
“In addition to the inspection and sealing gaps in the tile ceilings and pipes, I have received input from New Hampshire Health and Human Services, Infectious Disease Control, the Newport Health Inspector, and NH Fish and Game,” Magoon wrote in the letter addressed to Newport families and staff. “Thanks to their support and these proactive measures, Richards School will reopen tomorrow, Jan. 7, 2025. Looking ahead, we plan to start the bat eviction process in March. This process involves sealing off their entry points and installing a one-way exit door to allow them to leave without re-entry.”
Magoon explained in the letter that a thorough inspection was conducted at the elementary school with the assistance of Monadnock Pest and Wildlife Services, where areas of entry for the bats coming into the school were identified. The inspection also found that the bats were primarily located in the older part of the building. Magoon said a more detailed report is expected to come “within a few weeks,” and she plans to share with the school community.
“The bats have been finding their way into the occupied area of the building through small holes in ceiling tiles and other gaps around pipes,” Magoon wrote in Monday’s letter. “Today, our facilities team worked diligently to seal all the holes/gaps in the ceiling tiles and any openings around pipes in the areas of concern.”
Magoon said that no bats were found during the inspection, but this was because they often hide in small places behind insulation while they are hibernating.
“To address this issue proactively, we will be contracting with someone to look for any signs of bat movement,” Magoon said. “This will be happening roughly every two weeks. Also, our facilities team will conduct inspections to ensure that all ceiling tiles remain intact, and any damaged tiles are promptly replaced or repaired.”
Magoon explained that staff members at the elementary school recently started to feel sick, and an air quality test was conducted. They all had similar symptoms and tested the air for mold, as well as checking a piece of a tile. Both tests came back negative and Magoon wondered what the issue could be.
An inspection found that there was a large amount of guano, with areas six inches high, created by the hundreds of big brown bats that were hibernating. The facilities manager took a photo of part of a wooden structure near the chimney that showed bats lined up two to three deep. Over December break, the school had someone come to the school to clean the guano and found the bats to be gone. This, she said, was because they were migrating down into areas of the building to find warmth.
One of the bats woke up from hibernation recently and was flying around one of the hallways of the school, nearly swooping into a teacher. This led Magoon to contact NH Fish and Game, who told Magoon they were a protected species. Magoon then contacted Monadnock Pest and Wildlife to perform a full inspection and make the plans to move forward with removing the bats at a future date.
Magoon said that the health and safety of the staff and students is her “top priority, and that she will “always err on the side of caution to ensure a safe learning environment.”
“I will continue to keep you informed as we address this situation,” Magoon said. “Thank you for your understanding and support as we work through this process at Richards Elementary School.”
