Leman Academy of Excellence

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 Primary Compliance Officer measured the wood chips at 4 inches deep within the fall zones of the green climbing ladder and along the sides of the green slide.”

AAC R9-5-511.A.1.2.3.4.5. A. A licensee shall provide each enrolled child who naps or sleeps at the facility with a separate cot or mat or a crib that meets the requirements of R9-5-502(A)(8) and ensure that: 1. A cot, mat, or crib used by the enrolled child accommodates the enrolled child’s height and weight; 2. A staff member covers each cot, or mat with a clean sheet that is laundered when soiled, or at least once every seven days and before use by a different enrolled child; 3. A clean blanket or sheet is available for each enrolled child; 4. A rug, carpet, blanket, or towel is not used as a mat; 5. Each cot, mat, or crib is maintained in a clean and repaired condition;

“Findings: The Primary Compliance Officer observed four blue sleep mats that had rips along the seams, exposing the foam filling.”

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 review of 13 Emergency, Information and Immunization Record (EIIR) cards, the Secondary Compliance Officer observed the following: -Child 1's card did not document the date of enrollment, nor did it document the name of the individual to be contacted in case of injury or sudden illness of the child. -Child 2's card did not list two emergency contacts other than the child's parents, nor did it document the name and contact telephone number of the child’s health care provider. -Child 3's card was not complete, question #2 on the back was not answered. -Child 4 and Child 5's cards did not document the date of enrollment of each child.”

AAC R9-5-401.3. A licensee shall ensure that staff members meet the following qualifications for employment or volunteer service at a facility: 3. A child educator is 18 years of age or older and provides the licensee with documentation of one of the following: a. Six months of child care experience if working with enrolled children five years old and younger, or three months of child care experience if working with school-aged children; and: i. A high school diploma or high school equivalency diploma; or ii. At least 12 credit hours from an accredited college or university, including at least six credit hours in early childhood, child development, or a closely-related field; b. Associate or bachelor degree from an accredited college or university in early childhood, child development, or a closely-related field; or c. N.A.C., C.D.A., or C.C.P. credential;

“Findings: Based on review of staff files, as well as staff statements, it was determined that Staff 1 has worked alone with children, but their staff file does not document six months or more of qualifying child care experience. Staff 1's start date is documented as 08/05/2025.”

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: According to staff statements, Staff 1 has worked as a Child-Educator in the preschool program, but their staff file does not contain documentation of six months of qualifying child care experience, therefore they are not qualified to work alone. Staff 1's start date is documented as 08/05/2025.”

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: Compliance Officer 1 noted that the roster in the Explorers Classroom did not match the number of children present in the room. The Compliance Officer observed 2 children inside the classroom, but the roster indicated 11 children were present, as 9 children were in the indoor Common Area and had not been removed from the classroom roster.”

AAC R9-5-501.A.19. A. A licensee shall ensure that:19. Except as provided in subsection (A)(20), the following are stored separate from food storage areas and are inaccessible to an enrolled child: a. All materials and chemicals labeled as a toxic or flammable substance; b. All substances that have a child warning label and may be a hazard to a child; and c. Lawn mowers, ladders, toilet brushes, plungers, and other facility equipment that may be a hazard to a child;

“Findings: During the complaint investigation the Compliance Officers observed rat bait stations in Classroom 108 (Imagineers) and Classroom 111 (Adventurers). Additionally, bait stations were also observed in Room 120, which is the storage closet that contains food items and juice boxes that are served to enrolled children for snack.”

AAC R9-5-512.B. B. A licensee shall maintain facility premises and furnishings:1. In a clean condition, and 2. Free from odor.

“THE FOLLOWING WAS SUBSTANTIATED ON CASE #92813 Findings: Based on observation and documentation the Compliance Officers noted that the facility was not maintained in a clean condition as required. While onsite for the complaint investigation on November 15, 2024 the Compliance Officers observed rodent droppings in Classroom 108 (Imagineers), Classroom 118 (Creators), and in Room 120, which is the storage closet used to store the food and drinks that are served for snack. Additionally, Pima County Health Department complaint documents note that rodent droppings and debris were observed on November 27, 2024 in Classrooms 108, 111, 115, and 118, the Preschool office, and in Room 120, which is the food storage closet.”

AAC R9-5-404.A. A. A licensee shall ensure that at least the following staff-to-children ratios are maintained at all times when providing child care services to enrolled children: Age Group/Staff: Children - Infants/1:5 or 2:11; 1-year-old children/1:6 or 2:13; 2-year-old children/1:8; 3-year-old children/1:13; 4-year-old children/1:15; 5-year-old children not school-age/1:20; School-age children/1:20

“Findings: Upon arriving at the facility for the Complaint Inspection the Compliance Officer Supervisor noted that the staff-to-child ratio in the Adventurers Classroom (Room C111) was 1:15, with the youngest child being 3-years-old. According to staff statements the second staff member had stepped into the office area to provide assistance to the Director, which caused the classroom to be out of ratio when Compliance Officers arrived onsite.”

AAC R9-5-501.A.1. A. A licensee shall ensure that:1. In addition to complying with the requirements in this Chapter, the health, safety, or welfare of an enrolled child is not placed at risk of harm;

“THE FOLLOWING WAS SUBSTANTIATED ON CASE #92762 Findings: Based on observation, documentation, and interview it was determined that enrolled children were placed at risk of harm due to mouse urine and droppings that were present at the facility. While onsite on November 15, 2024 the Compliance Officers observed mouse droppings in Classroom 108, Classroom 118, and in Room 120, which is the storage closet where food and drinks are stored for snack. A Pima County Health Department report for Complaint #VCC-24-059834 also noted that droppings were observed during an inspection of the facility on November 27, 2024. Additionally, based on interview and documentation it was determined that on November 12, 2024 bagels were served from a plastic bag that had bite marks in it, as well as chunks missing from one of the bagels. Mouse droppings were also discovered in the bottom of at least one of the four blue padded bags that are used to deliver snacks to each classroom. Once the bite marks and droppings were discovered, staff were alerted via text message and the food items were removed and discarded.”

AAC R9-5-512.A. A. A licensee shall maintain facility premises free of insects and vermin.

“THE FOLLOWING WAS SUBSTANTIATED ON CASE #'S 92762 AND 92813 Findings: Based on interview and documentation it was determined that mice have been present in preschool classrooms, as well as in the storage closet were food and drinks for snack are stored. Additionally, a staff member caught a mouse running across a classroom on the afternoon of November 12, 2024, and the facility reports that a mouse was caught in the food storage closet as recently as November 26, 2024.”

AAC R9-5-514. D. D. A licensee shall post, near an activity area or a room's designated exit, a building evacuation plan that details the designated exits from the activity area or room and the facility.

“Findings: The Compliance Officer noted that a building evacuation map was not posted near the designated exit leading outside from the Creators Classroom.”

AAC R9-5-501.C.5. C. A licensee shall ensure that a staff member:5. Except as provided in subsection (D), prepares and posts a dated lesson plan in each indoor activity area for each calendar week, which is maintained on facility premises for 12 months after the lesson plan date and provides opportunities for each child to: a. Gain a positive self-concept; b. Develop and practice social skills; c. Think, reason, question, and experiment; d. Acquire language skills; e. Develop physical coordination skills; f. Participate in structured large muscle physical activity; g. Develop habits that meet health, safety, and nutritional needs; h. Express creativity; i. Learn to respect cultural diversity of children and staff; j. Learn self-help skills; and k. Develop a sense of responsibility and independence;

“Findings: Based on review of required documents Compliance Officer 1 noted that the posted lesson plan in the Explorers Classroom was not current, it was dated for September 23 - September 27, 2024.”

AAC R9-5-404.A. A. A licensee shall ensure that at least the following staff-to-children ratios are maintained at all times when providing child care services to enrolled children: Age Group/Staff: Children - Infants/1:5 or 2:11; 1-year-old children/1:6 or 2:13; 2-year-old children/1:8; 3-year-old children/1:13; 4-year-old children/1:15; 5-year-old children not school-age/1:20; School-age children/1:20

“Findings: During the inspection the Compliance Officer noted that the following two classrooms were not able to maintain the required staff-to-children ratio for three-year-old children due to staff calling out: -The Adventurers Classroom had a staff-to-child ratio of 1:14 -The Explorers Classroom had a staff-to-child ratio of 1:14”