Gwinnett Daily Post

SUWANEE -- Rumors circulating about rats at North Gwinnett High School were not unfounded. However, an administrator says the problem has been resolved.

Principal Ed Shaddix said students and teachers returned from winter break on Jan. 3 to find "a couple of rodents in the building."

"We immediately contacted environmental services with the county," Shaddix said. "They came out in full force, and we got rid of the rodents' habitats and got rid of food sources."

One of the potential food sources was a classroom where a teacher held a food drive prior to Christmas. "Some of the food had attracted the rodents," Shaddix said.

Shaddix said rumors gained momentum once students saw the environmental services personnel on campus. "The rumors of an infestation started because there was a massive onslaught by the county to take care of the couple of rodents that had been spotted," Shaddix said. "Students saw the bait boxes outside as well."

He said that ever since the county department visited the school "we haven't seen anything in a couple of weeks. A lot of what was out there was rumor, but the animals were looking for warmth and food in buildings like this one, especially when nobody is in them for a couple weeks."

Shaddix said the problem "has been taken care of."