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Puyallup School District works to stop bat infiltration at elementary school

By
FOX 13 Seattle
News
Published September 30, 2026 2:06 PM PDT
Published September 30, 2026 2:06 PM PDT

The Brief

    • School officials and pest control experts are investigating how bats are entering Edgerton Elementary School in Puyallup after seven were discovered inside over the last two weeks.
    • Maintenance teams are inspecting the building daily, sealing potential structural entry points and coordinating closely with local health officials.
    • Although no active roosting site has been found, district leaders advise families and students to avoid physical contact with any bats and report sightings immediately.

PUYALLUP, WA - School officials and pest control experts are investigating how bats are entering Edgerton Elementary School in Puyallup, after seven bats were discovered inside the building over a two-week period.

Despite repeated discoveries, district inspections have found no evidence that the bats are roosting inside the school, and officials have not yet identified a specific entry point.

Seven bats found across 2 weeks

Timeline:

District officials confirmed five separate incidents involving bats at the school:

Sept. 29: A dead bat was found in an upstairs mechanical room.

Sept. 28: A live bat was discovered underneath the door to the mechanical room.

Sept. 23: A night-shift custodian found two live bats in the downstairs kindergarten hallway. They were safely contained and removed.

Sept. 17: A teacher spotted a live bat in the downstairs main hallway before classes began.

Sept. 14: Teachers discovered two live bats in the downstairs hallway near the cafeteria and gym.

Remediation, mitigation efforts

What they're saying:

Staff and pest control professionals are inspecting potential entry points, including doors, windows, screens, mechanical spaces, and structural gaps.

Maintenance crews are conducting daily interior and exterior inspections while performing immediate repairs. Measures include replacing hallway ceiling tiles outside the cafeteria, installing new door sweeps and sealing and screening potential openings.

The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department has been notified and is receiving updates each time new bat activity is discovered.

Health safety protocols, state regulations

Why you should care:

All bat species in Washington are classified as protected wildlife. While state laws strictly regulate handling, the district is permitted to safely remove bats from the facility.

District officials advise students and staff who spot a bat to avoid touching the animal, leave the area immediately and report the sighting to school personnel.

If a child comes into physical contact with a bat, parents should contact their healthcare provider and notify the school and district immediately.

The Source: Information for this story came from the Puyallup School District and FOX 13 Seattle original reporting.

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