Feller Speaks About Bug Infestation at Old Mill

North Merrick School District Superintendent David Feller recently spoke out regarding the bug infestation at Old Mill Road Elementary School.

"Regarding the cockroach problem at [Old Mill], we have been addressing the problem in a very serious and responsible manner," Feller said. "To date, all governmental agencies, including the State Education Department and the Board of Health have indicated that they are satisfied as to how we are addressing this problem."

This comes on the heels of complaints regarding palmetto bugs that have surfaced in recent months. Parents recently shared their concerns with Fios 1 News regarding the issue.

"My daughter said that her teacher sees them when they open the closet to get paper out," Natalie Belajonas said. "They scream. It's not only the bugs that are disgusting, but the diseases they carry."

Feller sent out a letter to parents detailing the steps that are being taken in the district. 

• The district has enlisted the services of a professional exterminating company, Parkway Pest Control Services. As per NY State law, the approach that they use is referred to as Integrated Pest Management (IPM) which utilizes non-toxic substances that have proven to be effective in pest control. This IPM approach is used so as not to place children or staff in harm’s way due to the potential health hazards associated with toxic substances.   
• Last Spring, Parkway came to the school and assessed the situation - searched out potential entry points and causes of the activity. 
• Parkway immediately baited crawl spaces and other areas of concern and did an extensive search throughout the entire building. 
• During these investigations, we discovered and corrected several plumbing issues throughout the building that were causing moisture in the crawl spaces – a contributor to the increased activity.   
• Parkway visited the school on a regular basis throughout the Spring and during the summer. 
• A Parkway representative came to a Board of Education meeting during the summer to report on the progress and status of the treatments. 

"We have also closely collaborated with Mr. Peter LaDuca, Director of Health and Safety at Nassau BOCES," Feller added. "We have also reached out to the Cornell Cooperative Extension, a non-profit agency which deals with all types of environmental issues including this one."    

Reports that were received right before the start of school were that the number of cockroaches was significantly reduced, Feller said.. When the school year first started, the district received significantly fewer reports of cockroach sighting than they had received last Spring.  However, after the first two weeks of school, our numbers began to increase again.  Since that time, the following steps have been taken:

• Our Director of Facilities re-inspected the entire crawl space with the representative from Parkway and determined two more possible entry points due to leaks in the school’s foundation that we are in the process of fully addressing.
• A parent informational meeting was held on Friday, September 21.
• During the meeting it was also mentioned that we have been in ongoing contact with the Office of Health and Safety at Nassau BOCES for their advice and guidance. The Director in this office, Mr. Peter LaDuca, strongly recommended that we continue with the IPM approach, expressing the potential harmful effect of using more toxic approaches. 
• The Health Department came to inspect the school and we have been advised that they are satisfied with how we are addressing the situation.
• At our parent meeting, the Parkway representative stated that overall, we’ve seen an approximate 70 percent decrease in the problem since last spring.
• Earlier today, our Director of Facilities spoke with a State Education Department official regarding this issue. The SED official also expressed that we were handling the situation appropriately and was glad to learn of our involvement with Mr. LaDuca.
• We have also reached out to the Cornell Cooperative Extension, a non-profit group that deals with environmental issues for a second opinion and a representative is meeting with us later this week.

"I wish to underscore that we are treating this problem seriously," Feller said. "While we have made progress, we will not be satisfied until the problem is completely under control."

What do you think of the issues at Old Mill Road Elementary School? Tell us in the comments below.

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