Desert Star Academy

AAC R9-5-603.D. D. A licensee shall ensure that the following is provided and maintained within the fall zones of swings and climbing equipment in an outdoor activity area: 1. A shock-absorbing unitary surfacing material manufactured for such use in outdoor activity areas; or 2. A minimum depth of 6 inches of a non-hazardous, resilient material such as fine loose sand or wood chips.

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer’s observations, the outdoor activity lacked 3 of the required 6 inches of resilient surfacing in all fall zones.”

AAC R9-5-501.B.9. B. A licensee shall ensure that a staff member: 9. Does the following when a parent permits or asks a staff member to apply personal products on an enrolled child, such as petroleum jelly, diaper rash ointments, sun screen or sun block preparations, toothpaste, and baby diapering preparations: a. Obtains the enrolled child’s personal products from the enrolled child’s parent or, if the licensee provides the personal products for use by the enrolled child, obtains written approval for use of the products from the enrolled child’s parent; b. Labels the personal products with the enrolled child’s name; and c. Keeps the personal products inaccessible to enrolled children;

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer’s observation, in the North Room, there were 5 wipes with the enrolled child’s first name only, there was 1 wipe and 1 diaper cream that lacked the enrolled child’s first and last name.”

AAC R9-5-308.B. B. A licensee shall maintain documentation of the insurance coverage required in subsection (A) on facility premises.

“Findings: Based on facility documentation and the Compliance Officer’s observation, the Licensee lacked documentation of a current Certificate of Liability Insurance as required.”

AAC R9-5-304.B. B. Except as required in A.R.S. § 36-3009, before an enrolled child receives child care services, a licensee shall require the enrolled child’s parent to complete an Emergency, Information, and Immunization Record that is no more than a two-page written notice, and is signed by the enrolled child’s parent containing: 1. The child’s name, home address, sex, and date of birth; 2. The date of the child’s enrollment; 3. The name, home address, email address, and telephone number of each parent of the child; 4. The name and contact telephone number of at least two individuals authorized by the child’s parent to collect the child from the facility in case of emergency, or if the child’s parent cannot be contacted; 5. The name and contact telephone number of the child’s health care provider; 6. The written authorization for emergency medical care of the enrolled child when the parent cannot be contacted at the time of the emergency; 7. The name of the individual to be contacted in case of injury or sudden illness of the child; 8. The written instructions of a child’s parent or health care provider for the nutritional and dietary needs of the child including, if applicable, the request in R9-5-509(C)(14); and 9. A written record completed by the child’s parent or health care provider noting the child’s susceptibility to illness, physical conditions of which a staff member should be aware, and any individual requirements for health maintenance.

“Findings: Based on the facility documentation and the Compliance Officer’s observation, it was determined that 6 out of 15 enrolled children’s Emergency, Information, and Immunization Records reviewed lacked the following required information: Child #1: The home address and email address for the 2nd parent of the child and the name and contact telephone number of the child’s health care provider. Child #2: The name of the individual to be contacted in case of injury or sudden illness of the child. Child #3: The name and contact telephone number of the child’s health care provider and the name of the individual to be contacted in case of injury or sudden illness of the child. Child #4: The home address for the 2nd parent of the child and the name of the individual to be contacted in case of injury or sudden illness of the child. Child #5: The home address and email address for the 2nd parent of the child. Child #6:The name and contact telephone number of a 2nd individual authorized by the child’s parent to collect the child from the facility in case of emergency, or if the child’s parent cannot be contacted.”

AAC R9-5-301.B. B. A licensee shall ensure that a facility director: 1. Designates, in writing, an individual who meets the requirements of R9-5-401(2) to act on behalf of the facility director when the facility director is not present in the facility; 2. Supervises or assigns a child educator to supervise each staff member who does not meet the qualifications of R9-5-401(3); 3. Prepares a dated attendance record for each day and ensures that each staff member documents on the attendance record the time of each arrival and departure of the staff member; and 4. Maintains on the facility premises, the dated attendance record required in subsection (B)(3) for 12 months after the date on the attendance record.

“Findings: Based on facility documentation and the Compliance Officer’s observation, it was determined that Staff #1 (DOE-07/22/2026) was acting as a Child Educator in the classroom at the time of the inspection. Staff #1 was not qualified as a Child Educator and was not supervised by a qualified staff member.”

AAC R9-5-503.A.1. A. A licensee shall ensure that each diaper changing area required in R9-5-601(4) contains: 1. A nonabsorbent, sanitizable diaper changing surface that is: a. Seamless and smooth, and b. Kept clear of items not required for diaper changing;

“Findings: Based on the Compliance Officer’s observation, in the North Room, there was scissors, a clipboard with paper, a pen, a black sharpie, a plastic tray and a plastic bottle of clear liquid next to the diaper changing sink. There was a glass jar and metal straw in the diaper changing sink.”

AAC R9-5-203.G. G. As required by A.R.S. § 8-804, before an individual’s starting date of employment or volunteer service, a licensee shall comply with the submission requirements in A.R.S. § 8-804(C) for the individual.

“Findings: The Compliance Officer reviewed 3 staff files. The staff files lacked documentation of the submittal and the results for the DCS background check using the latest version for the submissions and for receiving the results.”

AAC R9-5-603.D. D. A licensee shall ensure that the following is provided and maintained within the fall zones of swings and climbing equipment in an outdoor activity area: 1. A shock-absorbing unitary surfacing material manufactured for such use in outdoor activity areas; or 2. A minimum depth of 6 inches of a non-hazardous, resilient material such as fine loose sand or wood chips.

“Findings: The Compliance Officer observed that the fall areas at the base of the slide and under the climber contained between 1 and 3 inches of resilient material.”

AAC R9-5-501.C.1. C. A licensee shall ensure that a staff member: 1. Supervises each enrolled child at all times;

“Findings: The Compliance Officer observed that there were 2 children sitting at a table in the back section of the toddler's room. The back section of the toddler's room was separated from the rest of the room by a low fence with a closed gate. The 2 staff were in the front of the room and were unable to supervise the 2 children sitting at the table.”

AAC R9-5-306.B. B. A licensee shall: 1. Develop, document, and implement policies and procedures to ensure that a staff member maintains daily documentation of the presence of an enrolled child in an activity area that includes a method to account for any temporary absences of the enrolled child from the activity area, and 2. Maintain the documentation of the presence of enrolled children in an activity area required in subsection (B)(1) on facility premises for 12 months after the date of the documentation.

“Findings: The Compliance Officer observed that the roster in the toddler's room did not accurately reflect the number of children present in the room.”

AAC R9-5-503.A.1. A. A licensee shall ensure that each diaper changing area required in R9-5-601(4) contains:1. A nonabsorbent, sanitizable diaper changing surface that is: a. Seamless and smooth, and b. Kept clear of items not required for diaper changing;

“Findings: The Compliance Officer observed that there were cloth rags, a sponge, a paint brush, and a plastic paint holder in and around the diaper changing handwashing sink in the toddler's room.”

AAC R9-5-501.A.21. A. A licensee shall ensure that:21. Except when used as part of an activity, the following are stored in an area inaccessible to an enrolled child: a. Garden tools, such as a rake, trowel, and shovel; and b. Cleaning equipment and supplies, such as a mop and mop bucket.

“Findings: The Compliance Officer observed that there was a plunger accessible to children n the toddler's toilet room.”