Official believe they've ended flea infestation in Pomona school
POMONA - School officials said they believe they have eliminated a recent flea infestation at El Camino Elementary School.
The flea infestation was discovered Oct. 20 in two classrooms at El Camino, 400 E. Arrow Hwy. The school is attended by students with disabilities and is operated by the Los Angeles County Office of Education.
According to an exterminator, opossums got under a portable building and could have been the source of the fleas. The fleas got into the ground, were stepped on and then brought into classrooms.
"Our building services staff plans to send someone to remove the opossums and screen in the area where they had gained access under the portable building," LACOE spokeswoman Margo Minecki said.
As soon as the infestation was discovered, the school site administrator took immediate action to address the problem, Minecki said.
"All students were promptly removed from the affected classrooms, she said. "An exterminator has sprayed the school on three occasions, and these measures are continuing in various non-classroom areas of the school until the problem is resolved."
Notices were posted at the school two days prior to the initial spraying, in accordance with the law.
LACOE is required to send notices to parents when insecticides are sprayed at the school. Parents have to sign a request to receive such notices.
No parents at El Camino requested the notices, but a letter on Oct. 28 was sent home to parents informing them of the situation, Minecki said.
Classrooms and the outside grounds were sprayed Oct. 23, 26 and 28. There was another spraying Oct. 29 in specific areas of the school.
"Another spraying is not scheduled as yet," Minecki said. "The exterminator will return ... to check for any active infestation. If any is found the spraying will resume until the problem is totally resolved."
If there is any further indication of live fleas at the school, the exterminator will be contacted.
The flea infestation was discovered Oct. 20 in two classrooms at El Camino, 400 E. Arrow Hwy. The school is attended by students with disabilities and is operated by the Los Angeles County Office of Education.
According to an exterminator, opossums got under a portable building and could have been the source of the fleas. The fleas got into the ground, were stepped on and then brought into classrooms.
"Our building services staff plans to send someone to remove the opossums and screen in the area where they had gained access under the portable building," LACOE spokeswoman Margo Minecki said.
As soon as the infestation was discovered, the school site administrator took immediate action to address the problem, Minecki said.
"All students were promptly removed from the affected classrooms, she said. "An exterminator has sprayed the school on three occasions, and these measures are continuing in various non-classroom areas of the school until the problem is resolved."
Notices were posted at the school two days prior to the initial spraying, in accordance with the law.
LACOE is required to send notices to parents when insecticides are sprayed at the school. Parents have to sign a request to receive such notices.
No parents at El Camino requested the notices, but a letter on Oct. 28 was sent home to parents informing them of the situation, Minecki said.
Classrooms and the outside grounds were sprayed Oct. 23, 26 and 28. There was another spraying Oct. 29 in specific areas of the school.
"Another spraying is not scheduled as yet," Minecki said. "The exterminator will return ... to check for any active infestation. If any is found the spraying will resume until the problem is totally resolved."
If there is any further indication of live fleas at the school, the exterminator will be contacted.
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