September 18, 2026 4:00 a.m. 

The Riddle School District is reviewing the process that led to its reopening on Monday.

A district release issued Thursday afternoon said the return to classes follows the completion of work to address bat activity in the building. That included a professional humane exclusion process and preventative measures to keep bats from reentering the school. The district worked with a professional bat specialist, the Douglas Public Health Network and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife throughout the response.

Superintendent Erica Dockweiler said the district also received just over $17,000 from The Ford Family Foundation to help support them with the costs associated with the bat removal and sanitation process.

Dockweiler said, “”We are grateful to our staff and the entire Riddle community for the patience, flexibility and support they showed while we worked through this. Keeping our students safe and getting them back to learning guided us throughout the process.” Dockweiler said, “We are also grateful to The Ford Family Foundation for stepping up to support our district during an unexpected situation,”

Dockweiler said, “We know that closing a school, even temporarily, has an impact on families.” Dockweiler said. “Having our students and staff back together makes us thankful for everyone who helped us get here”.