Little Shepherd Child Care & Preschool

Regulation 3.7.2.2: The licensee shall ensure that evacuation drills are conducted at least once a month, and children and staff are evacuated in under three (3) minutes. Licensees of a CBCCPP located within a public or independent school building may count a lock-down drill performed while the CBCCPP is in operation in place of a monthly evacuation drill with the CBCCPP children and staff and at least three (3) of the monthly drills conducted within 365 days shall be evacuation drills.

“Emergency evacuation drills were not conducted from December 2021 - April 2022. An evacuation drill was conducted with the fire department in May 2022. Corrective Action: Resume monthly evacuation drills. Send a plan that describes how evacuation drills will be conducted monthly.”

Correction date in the state record: Jun 25, 2022

Regulation 3.4.7.3: Within six (6) months of the initial date of employment; staff and auxiliary staff left alone with children and/or counted in staff/child ratio as specified in the rule 6.2.1.8 of these regulations, and the program director shall maintain an up-to-date BFIS Quality and Credential Account. Documentation, verification of qualifications, and all annual professional development activities as specified in the rules in sections 7.3 and 7.4 of these regulations shall be submitted to Northern Lights at CCV to be verified and maintained in BFIS.

“Upon review of staff BFIS Quality and Credential accounts and confirmation with the program director, it was found that three (3) staff were missing documentation of professional development. Two (2) staff were missing documentation of mandated reporter training. One (1) staff was missing verification of qualifications. Corrective Action: Submit staff education and training documentation to Northern lights at CCV as required. Email confirmation when documentation has been sent.”

Correction date in the state record: Jun 1, 2021

Regulation 5.10.4.5.5: Hard surfaces accessible to children shall be smooth, non-porous, and easy to clean. See the rules in section 5.2.6 of these regulations for a schedule for cleaning, disinfecting and sanitizing of specific surfaces and items.

“Three wooden bathroom doors have areas near and around the door handles where the surface in no longer non-porous and easy to clean. The dramatic play vet center in the 4 year old classroom is made of wood that has not been sealed. Blue vinyl couches in the 4 year old and 2 year old room have rips and tears and are no longer easy to clean. The benches in the school age room have worn paint where the porous wooden surface is exposed. The surface of the brown kitchen cabinet in the infant room is peeling and is no longer non-porous. The primary colored vinyl climbing mats in the infant room are frayed and no longer non-porous. Corrective Action: Submit a program improvement plan with a reasonable time frame that will address how the identified items will be sealed, repaired or removed so that surfaces accessible to children are non-porous and easy to clean.”

Correction date in the state record: Apr 14, 2019

Regulation IG2: Staff shall use positive methods of guidance and discipline that encourage self control, self direction, self esteem, and cooperation (for example, redirection, planning ahead to prevent problems, reinforcing and praising appropriate behavior and encouraging children to express their feelings and ideas instead of solving problems with force).

“Licensors [name] and [name] heard two year old teacher [name] use a harsh tone with the children during their lunch time. Using a harsh tone with children is not a positive guidance method and is in violation of this licensing rule. This violation was previously cited on 5/1/2014. Corrective Action: Effective immediately, instruct two year old teacher [name] to use positive methods of guidance and discipline. By 2/16/2016, submit a Program Improvement Plan to this Licensor that details how [name] will be trained and supervised to assure that positive methods of guidance and discipline are being used throughout each day with children.”

Correction date in the state record: Feb 10, 2016

Regulation VO1: The facility's building, grounds and equipment shall be maintained in a clean and orderly fashion and kept in good repair.

“The heater adjacent to the two year old eating area, has multiple areas of rust and missing paint. The heater in the infant room near the entrance has areas of rust. The door frames of the two year old room, 3 year old bathroom and 4 year old bathroom have multiple areas of missing paint. Corrective Action: A Program Improvement Plan will be submitted to this Licensor for review no later than 2/16/2016. The plan will identify steps the program will take to address the repairs needed.”

Correction date in the state record: Feb 10, 2016

Regulation IG2: Staff shall use positive methods of guidance and discipline that encourage self control, self direction, self esteem, and cooperation (for example, redirection, planning ahead to prevent problems, reinforcing and praising appropriate behavior and encouraging children to express their feelings and ideas instead of solving problems with force).

“Licenser [name] heard a staff member in the 2 year old room using a harsh tone with the children which was different from the tone Licenser [name] heard this staff member use with the children when this licenser was observing in the classroom. Using a harsh tone with children is in violation of this regulation as it is not a positive guidance method. This regulation requires positive methods of guidance to be used with children. Corrective Action: Effective immediately instruct this staff member to use positive methods of guidance and discipline. By 3/16/2014 submit a program improvement plan to this licenser which details how this staff member will be trained and supervised to assure positive methods of guidance and discipline are being used throughout each day with children.”

Correction date in the state record: May 14, 2014

Regulation VG6: Staff shall wash their hands with soap for at least 10 seconds under warm running water: upon arrival at the facility, before preparation of food or bottles, before feeding a child, after diapering a child, after using the toilet or helping a child use the toilet, after cleaning up after a sick child or injured child, after handling items soiled with blood or body fluids, after handling animals, and before and after giving medication.

“A staff member didn't wash her hands before bottle feeding an infant. It is a violation of this regulation when staff do not wash their hands before feeding children. Corrective Action: Effective immediately instruct staff to wash their hands at all the required times and assure future compliance.”

Correction date in the state record: May 12, 2014

Regulation VG4: Children shall wash their hands with soap under warm running water: upon arrival, before eating, after using the toilet or having their diaper changed, after handling animals, and after playing outside.

“Children in the 2 year old classroom took turns having their diapers changed or using the toilet after which they washed their hands. Then they returned to sitting on the floor to watch tv. Over a thirty minute period, children sat on the floor watching tv and then read books or played before sitting down and eating lunch. These children didn't wash their hands before sitting to eat lunch as required by this regulation. It is a violation of this regulation when children don't wash their hands before eating. Corrective Action: Effective immediately review with classroom procedures with staff to assure they are completing hand washing at the required times and assure future compliance.”

Correction date in the state record: May 12, 2014

Regulation ID1: Each child shall be visually supervised at all times in person by staff (except sleeping infants who are subject to inperson checks every 15 minutes see V.D.3). Children must be visually supervised while napping/resting.

“This licenser observed children leaving their 4 year old classroom to access their cubbies. The cubbies are in the room where the door is to exit the program leading to Route 7 which has a high volume of vehicles. At least 8 times one or more children left the classroom to access their cubbies. Each of these times, the two classroom teachers remained in the classroom for a period of time before realizing a child(ren) had left the room and/or going to the cubby area. When this licenser stood near the children in the cubby area, the teachers could not be seen. When this licenser stood in the classroom near the teachers, the children in the cubby area could not be seen. This is a violation of this regulation as it is required to maintain visual supervision of children at all times. This regulation has been cited as a violation previously on 9/28/2011. Corrective Action: Effective immediately instruct teachers to maintain visual supervision of all children at all times. By 3/16/2014 submit a program improvement plan to this licenser which identifies how the classroom practices have been modified to assure teachers are able to maintain visual supervision of children.”

Correction date in the state record: May 10, 2014

Regulation VE7b: The evacuation plan, including a system to account for all children at a predetermined safe place, shall be practiced and recorded at least once a month. Practice drills may be pre-announced.

“A staff member stated that emergency evacuation drills are completed monthly. The emergency evacuation drill log didn't have completed drills documented for May 2013, June 2013, July 2013, September 2013, November 2013, December 2013, January 2014, February 2014, or April 2014. This is in violation as it is required to document all completed drills on a monthly basis. Corrective Action: Submit a statement of agreement to this licenser that monthly emergency evacuation drills will be completed and documented monthly as required beginning with May 2014 and assure future compliance.”

Correction date in the state record: May 19, 2014

Regulation VK17: Containers of food in the refrigerator shall be labeled and dated. Food stored in the refrigerator, including lunch boxes, shall be stored in such a manner so as to permit free circulation of cool air. All foods must be covered.

“Meals are made on site for children. After breakfast, applesauce was placed in a cereal bowl with plastic wrap over it and placed in the refrigerator with no date on it. 5 packages of pizza dough in the freezer were in clear packaging with no date on them. Ham in the freezer was in clear packaging with no date on it. It is a violation of this regulation to have perishable food in the refrigerator or freezer that does not have a date on it. The date is required to assist in assuring spoiled food is not being served to children. Corrective Action: Effective immediately instruct staff to label and date food in the refrigerator or freezer and assure future compliance.”

Correction date in the state record: May 10, 2014

Regulation IIB2: A Master Teacher, Teacher, or Teaching Associate shall be present and working with children the majority of the time children are present.

“Paulette stated that [name] is the teacher assigned to work with the under one year olds. Donna has a certificate of completion for a child development course completed in May of 1993 which was not for college credit. Donna stated that she has completed 110 hours of training towards the 120 hours required to apply for her CDA Certificate. This is in violation as Donna qualifies as a Teaching Assistant, and there is not a teacher meeting Teacher Associate Qualifications or higher working with the under one year olds a majority of the day. Corrective Action: An action plan outlining how and when Donna will meet Teacher Associate Qualifications, and how supervision will occur to support Donna s work with the infants in her care will be submitted to this licensors for approval.”

Correction date in the state record: Apr 20, 2012