Stepping Stones Preschool

Regulation 3.3.5: The licensee, staff, and auxiliary staff shall be trained in prevention, identification and mandatory reporting of child abuse and neglect.

“One staff member has does not have documentation of completing the Protecting Vermont's Children mandated reporter training in her BFIS account, it was not available on site and it was not provided to licensing within the two weeks following the site visit. Corrective Action: Staff B must immediately complete the Protecting Vermont's Children training. The certificate should be sent to sarah.crosier@vermont.gov upon completion, and should also be sent to Northern Lights for entry into her BFIS account. Status: Appeal Period.”

Correction date in the state record: Apr 22, 2026

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.

“One staff member did not have any professional development documents in BFIS for the period under review, the documents were not available on site, and no documentation was sent to licensing in the two weeks following the site visit. Corrective Action: Staff A must complete 15 hours of professional development by 6/1/2026. She must also complete an additional 7 hours by the end of her year (based on start date) to ensure that she has the required 15 hours of professional development for the next review period. Please send the completion certificates for the 15 hours to sarah.crosier@vermont.gov when complete. All certificates should also be submitted to Northern Lights for entry into BFIS. Create a plan to ensure that each staff member completes 15 hours of professional development each year. Substitutes must complete 4 hours. Status: Appeal Period.”

Correction date in the state record: Apr 22, 2026

Regulation 5.6.7: A record of the administration of all medications shall be made including medication dosage, time of administration, name of staff administering, and any adverse effects observed. These records shall be maintained for 365 days from the start date of medication administration and may be kept in the child's file or in a medication administration log.

“Upon review of documentation on site it was found medications being administered were not documented ongoing. Corrective Action: Program shall ensure a medication documentation log is kept on site to include: name of staff administering, time of administration, medication dosage, and any adverse effects. Ensure log is kept for 365 days.”

Correction date in the state record: Apr 21, 2025

Regulation 6.2.6.6: The program director shall ensure that no person be left alone with children without approval from the Division based on the results of a background check that includes fingerprinting; with the exception of a parent may be left alone with his/her own child(ren).

“Staff D was working alone with children without fingerprint results returned to Division. Corrective Action: Staff F shall not be alone with children until results of fingerprinting is back from Division. Program shall create a system to ensure staff are not working alone with children with out fingerprint results.”

Correction date in the state record: May 21, 2025

Regulation 7.1.3: The licensee, in consultation with the program director, shall establish written program policies and procedures and provide these to staff and to 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 during an orientation training session approved by the Division prior to being left alone with children. Trainees under eighteen (18) years of age and other staff not left alone with children shall complete the orientation training within at least one (1) month of their first date of working with children. Complete written information and the orientation training session shall include: Basic knowledge of child growth and development; Routine and emergency health protection of children including health related exclusions; Safety and sanitation requirements including handling and storage of hazardous materials and disposal of bio contaminants; Positive behavior management; Supervision of children; Child accident and injury procedures including building and physical premises safety; Safe sleep practices; Administration of medication requirements; Emergency and evacuation requirements; Nutrition and food safety including prevention of and response to emergencies due to food and allergic reactions; Recordkeeping; Transportation and child passenger safety; Release of children; Respectful engagement of families; Preventing, recognizing, and reporting child abuse and neglect; including information about the signs and symptoms of sexual abuse, sexual violence, grooming processes, recognizing the dangers of child sexual abuse, and other predatory behaviors of sex offenders; Recognition of and response to the symptoms of common childhood illnesses; Preventing the spread of infectious disease; Providing developmentally appropriate activities and experiences for children; Inclusion of children with special needs; Guidelines for volunteers, partner staff, auxiliary staff, and business managers; Responsibility to comply with current applicable licensing regulations; Staffing requirements to include opening and closing; and Ensuring children have extra clothes and diapers available.

“Staff A, Staff B, Staff C, Staff D, and Staff F were found not to have completed Vermont Orientation Training. Staff D had taken 7hr. Orientation, which does not meet requirement. Same staff, have not completed Mandated Reporter Training. Corrective Action: Staff A, Staff B, Staff C, Staff D, Staff E and Staff F shall complete the required Vermont Orientation & Mandated Reporter required courses, submit certificates to Northern Lights @ CCV.”

Correction date in the state record: May 8, 2025

Regulation 5.10.4.5.1: The program director shall ensure that the CBCCPP, its furnishings, and toys are kept in a clean and orderly condition.

“Observations were made of the program space; toys in the toddler room were found with dirt and grime, rugs were noted to have several stains, straps in the highchairs were found with dark staining, and the tray where silverware was stored had dirt, grime and hair. Corrective Action: Ensure furnishings, and toys are kept in a clean and orderly condition. Maintain a regular cleaning schedule to ensure ongoing compliance wtih this rule.”

Correction date in the state record: May 21, 2025

Regulation 7.2.2: The licensee shall ensure that all new staff and auxiliary staff, prior to working with children in the CBCCPP; and any new individual designated as the representative of the licensee shall submit 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.

“Two (2) individuals identified as Parter Staff who have been working at the program, one (1) of whom was on site had not submitted/had a record check processed by the Child Development Division. Corrective Action: The program has submitted a record check for one (1) of the two (2) identified staff. Ensure prior to the other identified staff being present in the program again, that they submit a record check to the Division, and it is monitored to ensure the staff person is ultimately reflected on the associated parties list. In the corrective action email, confirm the additional record check has been submitted, and identify the system the program has created to ensure ongoing compliance with this rule.”

Correction date in the state record: May 21, 2025

Regulation 6.2.1.7: Partner staff shall not be left alone with children and shall not count in staff/child ratios at the CBCCPP.

“Staff F, who was not reflected on the program associated parties list, yet had been employed since March 2025, was identified as a Partner Staff working 1:1 with a child. Staff F was observed bringing the assigned child into the building and was observed with this child alone inside. Upon review of the child's file, the parent/guardian of this assigned child had not given permission for this individual to be alone with their child. Corrective Action: Ensure written permission is obtained for any child in care to be left alone with partner staff prior to doing so. Identify the system the program has implemented to maintain compliance with this rule.”

Correction date in the state record: Apr 21, 2025

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 BFIS account, it was found five (5) of nine (9) staff BFIS Quality and Credential accounts were not up to date within six (6) months of the initial date of employment. Corrective Action: Ensure all staff documentation, verification of qualifications, and all annual professional are submitted to Northern Lights at CCV and cc: kristy.haapala@vermont.gov. Maintain ongoing compliance with this rule.”

Correction date in the state record: May 21, 2025

Regulation 5.10.1.10.4: Materials required for routine cleaning shall be stored and used in a safe manner out of the reach of children.

“Clorox Hydrogen Peroxide disinfectant was observed on the shelf in the kitchen space. Children were observed on multiple times entering that room alone and could easily reach this item. Corrective Action: Ensure all routine cleaning products labeled 'Keep out of reach of children', are kept out of children's reach. Ensure ongoing compliance with this rule.”

Correction date in the state record: Apr 21, 2025

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.

“Seven (7) children were present in the infant/toddler classroom and only six children were signed in. Staff acknowledged that one child arrived late and wasn't signed in. Corrective Action: Develop a system to ensure that there is an accurate record of children's arrival and depature times, even if these times are outside of the typical schedule.”

Correction date in the state record: Jul 6, 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.

“Documentation - including Protecting Vermont's Children certificates, Vermont Orientation Training Certificates, First Aid and CPR documents, Professional Developement Documents and Educational documents - are available and have not been submitted to Northen Lights for entry into BFIS Quality and Credential accounts. Corrective Action: Develop a plan to ensure that all documentation is submitted to Northern Lights at professional.development@ccv.edu in a manner that ensures that staff BFIS accounts remain up to date.”

Correction date in the state record: Jul 6, 2022

Regulation 3.4.7.3: Within six (6) months of the initial date of employment, staff working with children 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 NLCDC to be verified and maintained in BFIS.

“After review of staff files and staff BFIS Quality and Credential accounts, it was determined that staff employed longer than six (6) months at the program did not have up to date BFIS accounts and were missing CPR and First Aid credentials, annual professional development, required training documentation, and/or qualification documentation. It is required for staff employed longer than six (6) months to have an up to date BFIS Quality and Credentialing account reflecting all qualifications, annual professional development, and required training. Corrective Action: By 03/30/2020, review all staff BFIS Quality and Credential accounts to determine what is missing. Create a plan to send the missing documentation to Northern Lights at CCV for entrance into BFIS Quality and Credential Accounts. Include in your plan, strategies for keeping BFIS accounts up to date in the future. Email this plan and confirmation that missing items were sent to Northern Lights to this licensor for review by 03/30/2020.”

Correction date in the state record: Mar 9, 2020