A Little Rock elementary school is now bat-free.
The Little Rock School District shut down Bale Elementary on Friday while maintenance workers used smoke to drive them out. Class will resume as normal on Monday morning.
District spokesman Tiffany Hoffman told KLRT-TV that officials think the bats flew in recently while crews were working with the doors and windows open. The flying mammals took off toward the surrounding neighborhood.
Hoffman says teachers can use the incident to educate students about the important tasks bats perform for the environment, especially in southern climates. She says with this year’s mild winter, bats are useful in eating bugs.
Hoffman says this is the first time classes have ever been canceled in the district because of bats.