New Heights Children's Center

Regulation 6.3.3: Activities shall be adapted for children with disabilities and/or for children who are English Language Learners to reach the goals described in the child's IEP, CIS One Plan, or the equivalent.

“During the visit, the program director and staff could not locate the child's ONE Plan nor could they identify any of the goals described in the ONE Plan. Staff stated having minimal contact with the service providers and had never had meetings to discuss any of the goals. Corrective Action: By 12/12/25, request [name], CIS Program Manager or [name]-McKenzie, CIS Coordinator at the Lamoille Family Center, to have them come to a meeting with the entire staff to discuss the role of CIS and how your staff can work with the local service providers as part of the early childhood team. Email your licensor the date of the meeting. Within 72 hours of the meeting, email your licensor what you have learned at the meeting and the steps you have developed to ensure collaboration with local service providers moving forward.”

Correction date in the state record: Dec 19, 2025

Regulation 6.2.6.1: Staff shall be able to hear all children of pre-kindergarten age and younger at all times, shall be able to see the children with a quick glance, and shall be able to physically respond immediately.

“A staff, in the infant room, went into the bathroom to change diapers, leaving three (3) infants alone on the floor of the room. She changed all four (4) children. She did not inform the director she would be out of sight of children nor did the director sitting in the office notice that the staff left three (3) infants alone. Two (2) of the three (3) infants were behind a wall and could not be seen from the office. Corrective Action: Immediately inform staff that they cannot leave the children alone during diapering. By 8/11/25, submit to this licensor a program improvement plan on how you will ensure that staff will not leave children alone.”

Correction date in the state record: Aug 19, 2025

Regulation 5.4.1.6: Lighting to permit appropriate supervision shall be provided in sleeping areas where children are napping or resting. This means that staff can see the child's face, view the color of the child's skin, and check on the child's breathing.

“During resting time, the 3 year old classroom was very dark, it was impossible to determine the number of children, see the face of children, color of their skin or to see the breathing of children. The program director stated that the string light are turned on once every child is asleep. I spoke to the director about the importance of compliance with this rule to protect children while sleeping Corrective Action: All staff will review this regulation and immediately increase lighting at the beginning of rest time to see the faces of children. By 8/11/25, email your licensor describing the modification you have made to increase lighting.”

Correction date in the state record: Aug 19, 2025

Regulation 7.4.4: All staff shall complete fifteen (15) clock hours of annual professional development activities as required in the rule 7.4.2 of these regulations. Substitutes filling a staff position for less than thirty (30) consecutive days within a 365 day period shall be exempt.

“After review of a staff BFIS Quality and Credential account, 13 hours of professional development were not completed for the period of 8/18/2023 - 8/18/2024. The provider was not able to provide additional certificates and conversation with provider confirm that the professional development hours had not been completed Corrective Action: Develop a plan to complete the required 13 hours of professional development that were missed for the past year in addition to the 15 hours of professional development hours needed for this year. By 1/27/25, submit a copy of this plan to this licensor at ann.sparrow@vermont.gov. Submit all training certifications to Northern Lights using the cover sheet.”

Correction date in the state record: Feb 3, 2025

Regulation 5.1.2: General Health Examinations: Within forty-five (45) days of enrollment, the licensee shall obtain documentation of the child's age appropriate well care exam from the parent. Documentation shall include information regarding any health conditions and medications that may impact the care of the child.

“A staff was observed in the 1-2 years old classroom wiping children noise on four (4) separate occasions. After each time, the staff member used hand sanitizer instead of washing their hands with soap and water. Corrective Action: Immediately instruct staff that when available to wash their hands with soap and water. By 1/27/25, email this licenser on the step used to ensure staff understand and follow handwashing procedures.”

Correction date in the state record: Jan 22, 2025

Regulation 7.1.2.2: Staff who are counted in the staff/child ratios 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 shall obtain training in pediatric first aid and in infant and child CPR within three (3) months of beginning work in the CBCCPP and remain currently certified.

“Staff A's First Aid and CPR certification expired in June of 2022, Staff A did not renew their First Aid and CPR certification in June of 2022. It is required that staff remain currently certified in First Aid and CPR. Corrective Action: Since the visit Staff A has completed First Aid and CPR recertification. Please ensure that moving forward staff do not allow a lapse in certification. No further corrective action is needed.”

Correction date in the state record: Apr 7, 2023

Regulation 5.1.2: General Health Examinations: Within forty-five (45) days of enrollment, the licensee shall obtain documentation of the child's age appropriate well care exam from the parent. Documentation shall include information regarding any health conditions and medications that may impact the care of the child.

“A review of eight children's files reflected that General Health Exam forms had not been obtained for four of the eight children. The director confirmed that the four children were still in attendance at the program. All four children had been enrolled for at least 45 days. Corrective Action: Please plan to review children's files and ensure that General Health Exam forms are in the files for children who have been enrolled at the program for more than forty five days. Email Licensor [name] with a system that will be developed to ensure that General Health Exam forms are collected in accordance with this regulation.”

Correction date in the state record: Apr 20, 2023

Regulation 6.2.7.2: Staff's expectations of children's behavior and responses to children's behavior shall be appropriate to each child's level of development and understanding. Guidance shall be designed to meet the individual needs of each child.

“During this visit, two staff confirmed that Staff A, who works regularly in the infant room, often uses an elevated and/or harsh tone with the infants in response to infants crying for more than a minute or two. Staff A stated that there are times when they become overwhelmed when not able to figure out why a child is crying. On 04/05/2023, Staff A was observed to get flushed cheeks and have squinted eyes and a downturned mouth when a crying infant would not take the bottle they offered and instead continued to cry. Staff A kept putting the bottle near the child's mouth, saying "Here. Here." Staff A did not say anything else to the infant or attempt to comfort the child in any other way. Corrective Action: Immediately plan to develop and implemen0t an Individual Staff Improvement Plan with Staff A. The plan shall include: 1. A description of the area(s) for improvement, 2. Staff A's acknowledgement of a need for and receipt of the improvement plan, 3. the names, dates, and times for at least 6 hours of professional development with a focus on nurturing and responding to infants that Staff A will attend by 06/01/2023, 3. management's comprehensive plan to routinely observe and document Staff A's positive or negative interactions with children, discuss those observations and any other issues or concerns with Staff A, provide additional oversight and mentoring and training to Staff A, and adjust the plan as necessary until such a time when it is clear that Staff A is able to have consistent appropriate interactions with and appropraitely respond to the typical,everyday behaviors of infants and children moving forward. If you need assistance with locating professional development or trainings hours as assigned, you may reach out to your Northern Lights at CCV resource advisor, Deb Grennon, at deb.grennon@ccv.edu or 802-527-5512.”

Correction date in the state record: May 1, 2023

Regulation 6.2.7.3: Staff shall use positive methods of guidance and behavior management that encourage self-control, self-direction, self-esteem, and cooperation.

“During a site visit on 04/05/2023, a review of classroom incident notebooks reflected that two toddler-aged children had been placed in pack and plays in response to their behaviors between May and July of 2022. The two children were between 18 and 24 months at the time of the incidents. The director stated that they were not aware that this was not acceptable. This form of behavior management does not encourage self-control, self-direction, self-esteem or cooperation. Corrective Action: Immediately plan to develop and implemen0t an Individual Staff Improvement Plan with Staff A. The plan shall include: 1. A description of the area(s) for improvement, 2. Staff A's acknowledgement of a need for and receipt of the improvement plan, 3. the names, dates, and times for at least 6 hours of professional development with a focus on nurturing and responding to infants that Staff A will attend by 06/01/2023, 3. management's comprehensive plan to routinely observe and document Staff A's positive or negative interactions with children, discuss those observations and any other issues or concerns with Staff A, provide additional oversight and mentoring and training to Staff A, and adjust the plan as necessary until such a time when it is clear that Staff A is able to have consistent appropriate interactions with and appropraitely respond to the typical,everyday behaviors of infants and children moving forward. If you need assistance with locating professional development or trainings hours as assigned, you may reach out to your Northern Lights at CCV resource advisor, Deb Grennon, at deb.grennon@ccv.edu or 802-527-5512.”

Correction date in the state record: Apr 26, 2023

Regulation 6.1.4.2.1: The amount of awake time children under twenty-four (24) months of age spend in any confining equipment, such as a crib, playpen, port-a-crib, swing, or seat shall be limited to less than thirty (30) minutes in any two (2) hour period.

“Upon entry to the infant room at approximately 9:30 AM, Child A was in an infant rocker chair. At approximately 9:50 AM, Child A was removed from the infant rocker chair, had a diaper change and was then placed in the infant swing at approximately 9:55 AM. At 10:35 AM, Child A was still in the infant swing and had fallen asleep. At approximately 10:55 AM, Child A was removed from the infant swing for several minutes and then placed in an infant bouncy chair. At 11:05 AM, Child A was still in the infant bouncy chair. The time Child A was in confining equipment exceeded 30 minutes in a 2 hour period. Corrective Action: Immediately plan to limit the amount of time that all children spend in confining equipment as described inthis rule to 30 minutes or less in any 2 hour period. Additionally, plan to move children who fall asleep in confining equipment to a crib or pack and play as soon as possible moving forward. Plan to provide additional training to all staff who work in the infant room as to the importance of this rule and the expectations for limiting the time spent in equipment moving forward.”

Correction date in the state record: Apr 29, 2022