Spark Academy

Regulation 7.1.1.1: Staff and partner staff shall be healthy and physically able to perform their caregiving responsibilities. Staff and partner staff who are incapacitated by illness, extreme fatigue or any condition that limits their ability to safely work with children shall not do so until their condition is improved.

“A video footage showed that a staff member, who was counted in staff/child ratio, was asleep during the children rest time for at least 14 minutes. One child was seen awake nearby. Corrective Action: By 4/23/26, submit a program improvement plan on how you will ensure that staff provide adequate supervision to children, and how you will prevent this incident from occurring again. Status: Appeal Period.”

Correction date in the state record: Apr 13, 2026

Regulation 3.4.3: A system for taking attendance, including documentation of the time when each child arrives and departs each day he/she attends the CBCCPP, shall be established. The licensee 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.

“The children's attendance for the month of February until March 17, 2026, did not reflect that a 27 month child had been in attendance, making it impossible to accurately determine the number of children in the group. Corrective Action: By 4/23/26, submit a program plan on how the program will accurately document children's days and hours in attendance. Status: Appeal Period.”

Correction date in the state record: Apr 13, 2026

Regulation 5.4.1.4: Cots, mats, and mattresses shall be nonporous or have nonporous coverings. Each child shall be provided clean, individual bed linens either by the licensee providing them directly or requiring parents to provide them. No child shall nap directly on nonporous coverings.

“A video footage showed a pre-k child asleep on a porous cushion with a blanket over his face. Corrective Action: Immediately stop children from sleeping on the cushion. By 4/23/2026, submit a plan on how you will ensure that all children are resting/sleeping on a mat/cot, and how you will instruct staff and future staff moving forward. Status: Appeal Period.”

Correction date in the state record: Apr 13, 2026

Regulation 6.2.7.4.1: No form of inappropriate discipline or corporal punishment shall be used with children such as but not limited to: Hitting, shaking, biting, pinching;

“Upon reviewing the video footage after learning of the incident from the program, Staff X was observed sitting on the floor, Child Y was observed placing their hands on Staff X's neck and then was seen letting go. Staff X was observed then hitting Child Y on the arm with an open hand. A previous concern on 2/6/25 with Staff X's interactions with children had been investigated . Upon this incident, the program terminated Staff X. This is a serious violation. Corrective Action: Submit a program improvement plan that ensures 1) all staff have read and understand any plans children are on that address how the program shall ensure their developmental needs are being addressed in an appropriate manner to their understanding, 2) that staff are provided opportunities to consult with Director, and/or parents to address concerns with children, 3) that the Director monitor staff adherence to said plans for children and their interactions with all children, and 4) feedback is provided to staff when issues are noted in their approach or implementation of meeting children at their developmental stages. By 5/22/2025 this report shall be provided to all parents of children enrolled in this program. Provide Licensor [name] with the names of the children, their parents' names and contact information once completed.”

Correction date in the state record: May 13, 2025

Regulation 6.2.7.4.1: No form of inappropriate discipline or corporal punishment shall be used with children such as but not limited to: Hitting, shaking, biting, pinching;

“It was observed by video on 2/6/2025, Staff A sat down next to a child during lunch and hit/slapped the child on the arm to get the child to stop a behavior. The child was heard crying owe and rubbing their arm for several minutes after they were hit/slapped on the arm. During staff interviews, Staff X stated a child told her they saw Staff A hit a child. Corrective Action: Immediately instruct all staff to use positive interactions and positive responses to children's behavior. By 4/7/2025 submit a program improvement plan which shall include the directors of the program ensuring training with all staff about positive guidance of children, providing ongoing observations of each staff member's work with children to ensure positive guidance, and ongoing mentor time to support current and future staff in positive guidance of children.”

Correction date in the state record: Mar 28, 2025

Regulation 6.2.7.4.5: No form of inappropriate discipline or corporal punishment shall be used with children such as but not limited to: Inflicting mental or emotional punishment such as humiliating, shaming, threatening, or frightening a child; or

“In the video, Staff A tells children, "When my friends don't listen to me, like, (named two friends) they get sent home. Do you want me to send you guys home? I will call your parents." Staff B is heard in the video saying to a group of children, "if you do not listen to me, you will lose play time." Staff A is heard on the video, stating the child's name," you need to sit down. I will call your mom and dad if you do not sit down." During a staff interviews, a staff member stated she has heard a staff member say to a child who was crying, "If you do not stop crying, you will need to go to time out." These are examples heard on the video and in a staff interview that show staff threatening, humiliating and shaming children. Corrective Action: By 4/7/2025, submit a program improvement plan with details how staff will be trained on how to talk to children that is not threatening or humiliating to children.”

Correction date in the state record: Mar 28, 2025

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.

“In the video observed and staff statements, staff A was witnessed grabbing for the child after directing the child to use the bathroom and the child pulling away. Staff A immediately picked up the child and carried them with their arms extended to the bathroom. Staff are heard raising their voices and threatening children during this transition period. These behaviors of staff do not encourage children to have self-control or cooperation. Corrective Action: Immediately instruct staff to use developmentally appropriate practices and expectations of children's behavior that encourage self-control and cooperation. By 4/7/2025 review and modify the programs guidance and behavior management practices and policies. Make changes that will support and encourage positive interactions between staff and children. By 4/21/2025 have all staff take the Better Kid Care Training, Big Emotions & Self Regulation for Adults and Children.”

Correction date in the state record: Apr 15, 2025

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.

“In the 2/27/2025 video it shows children having to wait up to fifteen (15) minutes with nothing to do at the tables as they wait to be called to use the bathroom. On the same video a child sitting alone at the table waiting for their turn or waiting for staff, for approximately ten (10) minutes with limited interaction from a staff member and no activities. On the same video a group of children were asked to wait for the circle, for the other children, with no activity, no interaction from staff and no waiting games. During the waiting times for children, staff were heard directing children to stop their behavior and needed to be redirected by staff. Corrective Action: Immediately change the routine so children have less waiting time and more positive staff/child interactions and to limit behaviors of children. By 4/7/2025 submit a program improvement plan with what has been implemented in the program to keep children engaged during extended wait times and what has been implemented to restructure the program to reduce wait times. By 4/14/2025, have all staff complete a Better Kid Care training, See as a Child, Feel as a Child.”

Correction date in the state record: Apr 7, 2025