Keeping On Top of Pests: Termites

Below are the actions that a principal should take after discovering that their school is overrun with termites.

They should inform the students' parents of the termite treatment they plan to use

After consulting with a pest control company and being given their expert advice regarding which termite treatment to use, the school principal should then inform the students' parents, in writing, of their intention to use the specific treatment that the pest control company recommended. Whilst the school will need to be closed whilst this treatment is being used, some parents may decide to keep their children off school for a few extra days after the termites have been eradicated and the school has reopened.

A parent may decide to do this if, for example, the school has to be fumigated and their child has asthma or is allergic to the specific chemicals that the pest control specialist needs to use (as they might be concerned that the child might have a reaction if they are exposed to even a tiny amount of these chemicals). Whilst the fumigation chemicals will disappear very quickly after the pest control company finishes their work, and they should not, therefore, cause any problems for the general student body when the school reopens, the principal should still give parents some notice so that they can keep their children off school as a precaution if they want to. Giving them notice will also mean that the parents can contact their child's teachers and arrange for their schoolwork to be sent via email during the time that they are off school.

Wait until there's a school holiday to get the treatment done

In situations where a termite infestation has already caused lots of damage, then the termite treatment might need to be done immediately. However, if the infestation is in its infancy and the pest control specialist does not believe it will spread too quickly (because, for example, the infestation is in a building on the grounds that is separate to the main school building), then it might be sensible for the principal to wait until an upcoming school holiday to have the treatment done.

Depending on how long the holiday is and how long the treatment takes, this could greatly reduce the time the students have to take off school. This is particularly important for students who are preparing for important exams, as any disruption to their school schedule could affect their studies and the exam grades they are able to achieve.

Reach out to a local termite control service for more information.