A Northside High School student discovered bed bugs in their laptop Monday, and now Onslow County Schools will be distributing new computers to every student on campus.
According to a Tuesday press release from OCS, a parent at NHS informed the district Monday about the potential bed bugs in their child's 1:1 laptop.
The device was then collected from the student and inspected by district IT and facilities management staff. The inspection did indeed reveal the presence of bed bugs, the district said.
Monday evening, NHS Principal Brad Staley contacted families to let them know about the situation.
Out of an abundance of caution, all NHS students were asked to bring their 1:1 laptops and chargers to school with them Tuesday morning. Families were informed the school would be sharing plans about when new replacement laptops would be distributed.
Tuesday morning, district IT technicians worked with NHS staff to collect student 1:1 devices and chargers. The devices and chargers were then bagged and removed from the school to an off-site storage location.
The device in question was among those issued to NHS students during the 2023-2024 school year as part of the district's 1:1 initiative, according to OCS. They were collected at the end of last school year and stored in the NHS media center over the summer break.
As the devices did not leave the school, there is no reason to believe there is any potential impact at other schools, according to the district. OCS district maintenance staff have inspected the media center and implemented an integrated pest management plan where the laptops were stored.
The district's goal is to be proactive and provide brand new replacement devices to the NHS students as soon as possible, the district's release added, also saying that inspecting personal belongings for bed bugs is crucial to prevent their spread.
Some effective ways to do so include:
Home inspection — According to the CDC, bed bugs can be prevented by regularly looking for signs of their presence. OCS asks that parents please inspect their home and child's belongings for signs of bed bugs. If any are discovered, take appropriate measures to treat affected areas.
Proper storage — Parents are asked to encourage their child to store their 1:1 laptop/device in a clean, clutter-free area at home and keep it in its protective case.
Reporting — Anyone who suspects any issues with their child's 1:1 laptop/device should report it to the school immediately so they can address it promptly.
"We would like to thank our families for their understanding and cooperation in helping us with this process. Additional information will be shared as it becomes necessary," the release concluded.
