Michelle Gilcris

Regulation 2.3.9.5.4: The FCCP shall ensure that a drinking water system serving less than twenty-five (25) persons daily, served by their own well or spring, is chemically tested for arsenic, uranium, nitrite, manganese, and fluoride once every six (6) years. This testing shall be analyzed by a Drinking Water Laboratory certified by the State of Vermont according to 18 V.S.A. S501b. * Results shall meet Vermont standards. Water shall be remedied and retested to ensure potability if any test(s) are elevated. * Bottled water for drinking shall be provided until such time as the drinking water system meets Vermont standards. * The sample shall be a representative sample from the tap most frequently used for drinking after any treatment (for example a UV light system, a softener or charcoal filter). * Information from these water tests shall be included in the license renewal.

“This is a repeat citation of this violation due to failure to complete the required action from when the violation was initial cited during a visit on 05/06/2025. The provider did not complete the chemical water testing for the well by 7/25/2023 and still has not been completed Corrective Action: The corrective action originally required to be completed by 06/03/2025 still needs to be completed. By 2/5/2026, complete the water testing by ordering the bottles, collect the water following directions and submit the samples to be tested at the address provided. Email your licensor when you have ordered the bottles, completed the testing and returned the sample to be tested and a copy of the results. Continue to use bottled water until remediation has been completed and water test results state that the water is safe for consumption.”

Correction date in the state record: Feb 13, 2026

Regulation 7.2.1: The FCCP shall ensure that all new staff, and any new individual with unsupervised access to children in the FCCH submits a Records Check Authorization form to the Division and shall submit to fingerprinting at a location designated by the Division after having received the Fingerprinting Authorization Certificate by the Division.

“Upon review of the provider BFIS Quality and Credential account, it was determined that they had not completed the Background clearing process as required. An authorization letter requesting fingerprinting was issued on 5/26/24 and 7/24/24, and as of 5/6/2025, the provider had not completed the fingerprinting process. Corrective Action: Immediately submit a record check authorization form to the Division and submit to fingerprinting as required. By 5/26/2025, email your licensor with the appointment date. Submit a copy of the fingerprinting receipt to your licensor within 3 days of the appointment.”

Correction date in the state record: May 28, 2025

Regulation 3.6.1.1: The FCCP shall develop and maintain a written Emergency Response Plan to respond to a full range of emergencies both natural and man-made. A complete plan shall include how the FCCP will address and manage the following situations and responsibilities: * Evacuations or other emergencies such as leaving the premises and lockdown situations; * Specific concerns related to the location of the program, such as proximity to a nuclear reactor, an area prone to flooding or power loss; * Notifying the local authorities of the emergency; * A system for notifying the parents of the emergency; * Notifying the local emergency planning committee regarding the location of the FCCH and using the committee as a resource in emergency planning for the program; * A system of identifying the children and staff present at the time of the emergency and maintaining knowledge of their whereabouts; * A system for handling infants, toddlers, and children with special needs; * An established evacuation meeting location within walking distance of the FCCH; * A system to account for all children and staff at evacuation meeting place; * An process for relocation if necessary including safe transportation; * A system for sheltering in place if the FCCP and children present need to remain in the FCCH for an extended period; and * Staff chain of command and individual staff roles and responsibilities, (if applicable) during emergencies.

“The provider emailed an emergency response. A review of the plan showed that the Emergency Response Plan was lacking six (6) of the required components. Corrective Action: Review and revise the Emergency Response Plan to include all required components. Provide revisions to your Licensor by 05/26/2025. Continue to work with your Licensor until such a time when the Emergency Response Plan meets compliance. A template for the emergency plan can be found on the CDD website at https://dcf.vermont.gov/cdd/providers/forms.”

Correction date in the state record: May 21, 2025

Regulation 2.3.10.5: The FCCP shall be responsible for compliance with all applicable state and federal laws even when they are more stringent than the rules in this set of FCCH regulations.

“Upon review of the Associated Party list with the provider, it was determined that a household member had not completed the Background Clearing process as required. An authorization letter was issued on 7/24/24 for a household member and as of 5/26/25, this individual had not completed the the fingerprinting process Corrective Action: Immediately submit a record check authorization form to the Division and submit to fingerprinting as required. By 5/26/2025, email your licensor with the appointment date. Submit a copy of the fingerprinting receipt to your licensor within 3 days of the appointment.”

Correction date in the state record: May 28, 2025

Regulation 2.3.9.5.4: The FCCP shall ensure that a drinking water system serving less than twenty-five (25) persons daily, served by their own well or spring, is chemically tested for arsenic, uranium, nitrite, manganese, and fluoride once every six (6) years. This testing shall be analyzed by a Drinking Water Laboratory certified by the State of Vermont according to 18 V.S.A. S501b. * Results shall meet Vermont standards. Water shall be remedied and retested to ensure potability if any test(s) are elevated. * Bottled water for drinking shall be provided until such time as the drinking water system meets Vermont standards. * The sample shall be a representative sample from the tap most frequently used for drinking after any treatment (for example a UV light system, a softener or charcoal filter). * Information from these water tests shall be included in the license renewal.

“The chemical water testing for the well was to be completed by 7/25/2023 and has not been completed. Corrective Action: Immediately order the water test kits and notify your licensor when you have done so. By 6/03/25, complete the water test following the directions provided and notify your licensor that the water test has been sent, as well as the results of the tests.”

Correction date in the state record: Feb 13, 2026

Regulation 7.4.4: All staff, with the exception of substitutes, shall complete fifteen (15) clock hours of annual professional development activities as required in the rule 7.4.2 of these regulations.

“After review of the provider BFIS Quality and Credential account showed that 15 hours of professional development were not completed for the period of 7/18/2023 -7/18/2024. Conversation with the provider confirmed that the professional development hours had not been completed. Corrective Action: By 5/26/2025, submit a program improvement plan indicating how you will complete the fifteen (15) hours for 2023-2024 and the next fifteen (15) hours for the period of 7/18/2024 to 7/18/2025. This plan should include a time frame for completion of the past fifteen (15) hours and the name of the training(s) you will complete. In addition, indicate the time frame for the completion of the following fifteen (15) hours. Submit electronically the training certificates to Northern Lights at CCV with a cover sheet and copy the licensor on the same email for the past fifteen (15) hours. Submit additional training certificates electronically to Northern Lights moving forward”

Correction date in the state record: May 19, 2025

Regulation 7.2.3: The Division, at its discretion, may use the results of a background check on file with the Division as long as it has been completed within the last five (5) years and instead of requiring a new background check.

“Provider Michelle has not submitted a Record Check Authorization Form prior to the previous record check expiration date of 11/30/2023. Corrective Action: Immediately submit a Record Check Authorization Form to LOD email at ahs.dcfcddchildcarelicensing@vermont.gov and copy licensor at Stacey.guertin@vermont.gov by 07/19/2024.”

Correction date in the state record: Jul 3, 2024

Regulation 7.4.4: All staff, with the exception of substitutes, shall complete fifteen (15) clock hours of annual professional development activities as required in the rule 7.4.2 of these regulations.

“A review of BFIS Credential Account for the provider, as well as discussion with the provider, revealed the provider has not completed the required fifteen (15) professional development hours for the annual period of 01/01/2022-01/01/2023 and to include 01/01/2023 thru to this current date, 6/27/2023. Corrective Action: Ensure you complete 30 hours of professional development for the annual period of 01/01/2023 through 01/01/2024. Fifteen (15) hours are for the period of 01/01/2022-01/01/2023 and fifteen (15) hours are for the period of 01/01/2023 through 01/01/2024. By 07/10/23, submit a plan on how you will complete this and how you will ensure compliance with this rule moving forward.”

Correction date in the state record: Jun 27, 2023

Regulation 3.3.3: The FCCP shall establish a system for taking attendance, including documentation of the time when each child arrives and departs each day he/she attends the FCCH. The FCCP shall save all daily attendance records identifying the hours of children s attendance for at least twelve (12) months from the date that care is provided.

“At the time of the visit, the program had five (5) children present and only two (2) children had been signed in. The three (3) children missing on the attendance arrived at 8:30AM and 9AM and were not signed into the program at the time of the visit at 1:30PM. Corrective Action: Effective immediately, begin recording attendance in real time to reflect accurate number of children in care. It is required to develop a system for ensuring the attendance is completed at drop off/pick up and a description of this system, that includes strategies, shall be sent to this licensor for review.”

Correction date in the state record: Jun 28, 2022

Regulation 5.10.1.2.5: There shall be at least one (1) easily accessible dry chemical fire extinguisher which has at least a 2-A: 10BC classification. This fire extinguisher shall be maintained in operating condition. It shall bear an official tag, properly signed, attesting to current operating condition.

“The extinguisher at the program was tagged and inspected in 2020, and therefore the fire extinguisher at the program was overdue to be tagged and inspected. The fire extinguisher was located under the sink in the kitchen and must be mounted near an exit door. Corrective Action: It is required to get the fire extinguisher tagged and inspected and mount it near an exit door. It is required to develop a system to ensure the fire extinguisher is tagged and inspected annually as required.”

Correction date in the state record: Jun 28, 2022

Regulation 5.10.3.3: Safe Use Zones For all play equipment that is thirty (30) inches or higher from the ground, including climbing equipment, slides, swings and other similar equipment, the FCCP shall ensure that the surface under and around the equipment, included recommended use zones, is of approved resilient material that protects children if they fall. * Materials in the use zone shall consist of wood chips, pea stone, mulch, engineered wood fibers, sand, safety-tested shredded or rubber like material or rubber mats designed for protective cushioning; * Materials used in the use zone shall follow the recommendations listed in the most recent publication of U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's Public Playground Safety Handbook regarding critical depth of tested materials determined by the height of the highest climbing surface of the equipment; * Materials used in the use zone shall be installed and maintained according to the manufacturer's instructions; * If the loose material such as sand, mulch, or shredded rubber is used in use zones, the FCCP shall ensure that the material is raked regularly and replenished to maintain depth and resilience; and * If the resilient material in use zones freezes, the FCCP shall ensure that the children will not play on the equipment until the resilient material has thawed and is once again resilient.

“The program has a wooden climber with swings, a slide, hanging rings, platform and ladder. The program also has a tire swing hanging from a tree. The climber and the tire swing allow children to achieve a height of thirty (30) inches or more and did not have required fall surfacing and was positioned directly on top of grass. Corrective Action: Effective immediately, discontinue use of any piece of equipment that allows childrren to achieve a height of thirty (30) inches or more until proper fall surfacing can be installed. It is required to develop a plan for compliance with the required fall surfacing of the outdoor equipment. The equipment may not be used until proper fall surfacing is installed.”

Correction date in the state record: Jun 28, 2022

Regulation 5.1.4: The FCCP shall submit a Vermont Child Care Immunization Report at least once every 365 days to the Vermont Department of Health, Immunization Office as required by 18 V.S.A. SS 1120 - 1129.

“The annual Immunization Report was not submitted for 2018 for this program. Between 11/5/2018 and 12/21/2018, CDD sent 2 separate emails to all programs, 1 reminder letter using US Postal Service, 1 reminder letter sent through the program's BFIS account, and a final email reminder. This communication provided the link to be used and CDD contact information for questions or challenges with submitting the report Corrective Action: By 6/10/2019, submit a program improvement plan that identifies the steps that will be taken to ensure that the 2019 annual immunization report will be filed between 11/1/2019 - 12/31/2019.”

Correction date in the state record: Jul 2, 2019

Regulation 6.2.1: Maximum Capacity and Staffing in a registered FCCH The registered FCCP shall ensure that the registered FCCH shall not exceed the limits described in this section, including the charts below.

“Michelle said that she was over numbers for 15 minutes to 30 minutes on 3/7/2018 after the school age children arrived. Attendance records showed 11 children in care between 3:30 pm and 4 pm on 3/7/2018. This is out of compliance with staff to child ratios and is a serious violation. This has been cited as in violation previously on 3/2/2012 and 3/25/2009. Corrective Action: Effective immediately, follow the staff to child ratios at all times. By 6/22/2018, submit a program improvement that includes your process for ensuring staff to child ratios and how you will handle situations in which you are at risk of being out of compliance. By 6/22/2018, send the Parent Notification Letter to each enrolled family as outlined above and submit the list of parents notified to include their full name, day time phone number, and their child(ren)'s name.”

Correction date in the state record: Jun 14, 2018

Regulation 3.1.4.1: When a child who is enrolled and expected to arrive, from another program or person other than the parents, does not arrive as scheduled and the parent has not informed the FCCP of the child's absence, the parent or authorized person for the child must be contacted immediately.

“On 2/19/2018 a 7 year old and a 9 year old did not arrive to care on the school bus at 3:25 as expected. Michelle did not notify the parent that the children had not arrived afterschool as expected, which resulted in the two children being left home for at least 1.5 hours with no adult. Michelle told the Licensor that she had left 2 messages for the parent with one of 2 of the parents co-workers. However, it was confirmed that neither individual received a phone call from Michelle at work, nor were they present at their workplace at the time that Michelle reports she spoke to them. A review of records from the parent's employer shows that Michelle did not call the workplace. Corrective Action: Develop a plan detailing how and when information will be communicated with parents as required by this regulation. Submit this plan in in writing to this Licensor by 4/20/2018.”

Correction date in the state record: Apr 5, 2018