Suzy's Little Peanuts Day School LLC -Springfield

Regulation 5.10.1.8: Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention The licensee shall comply with the requirements of 18 V.S.A. Chapter 38 Vermont Lead Law and shall ensure that Essential Maintenance Practices (EMP) is performed. This includes but is not limited to protecting children from peeling or chipping paint, and dust build up from the friction of moving doors or windows.

“It was found an Inspection, Repair and Cleaning (IRC) compliance statement had not been submitted as of site visit on 7/22/2025. Vermont Lead Law requires submission of this compliance statement every 365 days. Our records indicate a submission date for this program to be no later than June 26 of the current year. Corrective Action: Program submitted IRC compliance statement to Vermont Department of Health (VDH) as of 7/23/2025. Program shall create a system to maintain ongoing compliance with this rule. Email created IRC system to Licensor [name] @ by dated listed..”

Correction date in the state record: Aug 7, 2025

Regulation 5.10.1.2.1: The licensee shall ensure that the CBCCPP is in compliance with Vermont Division of Fire Safety rules at all times. This includes but is not limited to: * Complying with Vermont Division of Fire Safety inspection reports; * Having regular fire systems inspected with violations identified during the inspection noted as corrected; and * Having fire extinguishers tagged with valid inspection tags.

“Program could not provide documentation confirming any inspections of the fire extinguishers since 2021. The inspection tags upon the extinguishers note the last inspection as July 2021 with an expected next inspection date one year from then. The inspection tag was no longer valid as of August 2022. Fire extinguishers on site were found with tags stating inspected in 2021. Corrective Action: Program sent email on 7/29/25 confirming inspection of extinguishers to include (1) labeled LOANER extinguisher and one inspected with the date of July 2025 punched on the tag. Create a system to ensure fire extinguishers are inspected and tagged according to Vermont Division of Fire Safety requirements and maintain ongoing compliance with this rule. Email newly created system for compliance to Licensor [name] by date given.”

Correction date in the state record: Aug 7, 2025

Regulation 6.2.5.2: Staff shall appropriately hold, touch, smile and talk to children.

“It was confirmed that a staff person has made statements directly to and in the vicinty and earshot of children referencing specific children acting like babies and needing to return to the baby group because of the children's behaviors. Corrective Action: As required on 10/23/2023, such statements are to stop. Work with the identified staff person on appropriate guidance techniques for children, provide the classroom staff with language and guidance strategies to address when children engage in challenging behaviors. Submit in writing as the corrective action plan, what support/conversations were addressed with this individual staff and resources provided to the staffing team.”

Correction date in the state record: Dec 1, 2023

Regulation 6.2.4.3: The program director shall ensure that each group of children is led by a staff member who is at least qualified as a teacher associate for at least 75% of the hours of operation.

“It was acknowledged that neither the infant nor the one yr. old group have a teaching associate assigned to work with the group of children regularly. The staff persons who report themselves to be with each group the majority of the day qualify as a assistants and the staffing schedule supports staff statements that a teaching associate or higher qualified staff person is not working with either group. Corrective Action: Submit a corrective action plan that identifies steps the program has taken and will take with timeframes to have a qualified teaching associate with each group. Include in this email, what teaching associate or higher qualfied staff person will be immediately responsible for providing guidance on program planning, curriculum, guidance practices, and overall support of each group. This plan shall include scheduled meeting and observation times this person will be with the groups and/or meeting with staff.”

Correction date in the state record: Dec 1, 2023

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 licensee shall ensure that the surface under and around the equipment, including 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 licensee shall ensure that the material is raked regularly and replenished to maintain depth and resilience; and * If the resilient material in use zones freezes, staff shall ensure that children will not play on the equipment until the resilient material has thawed and is once again resilient.

“On 08/22/2023 a child fell from the geodome climber and broke a bone in the child's arm. The cushioning depth for the geodome was measured on 08/30/2023 and found to be 3.5 inches. Staff on site confirmed no changed been made since the incident on 08/22/2023. The U.S Consumer Proeduct Safety Commission's Public Playground Safety Handbook lists a minimum of 9 inches for wood chip loose fill as the requirement. Corrective Action: The program's reported practice of not using the geodome instituted on 08/22/2023 is to continue unless or until the sufficient depth of cushioning is in place. Send confirmation to this licensor that the cushioning has been brought to required depth or that the play piece is removed. Submit in writing to this licensor what steps were taken to review cushioning requirements for the play pieces upon the playgrounds, identification an any areas in need of fill, limitations of play (if needed) until cushioning enhanced, and communication with staff about playground maintenance and reporting concerns.”

Correction date in the state record: Sep 21, 2023

Regulation 3.4.4.2: Each child's file shall be complete with all required information within the first week that the child begins to attend care. The required annual physical shall be obtained within forty-five (45) days of enrollment as required in rule 5.1.2 of these regulations. School age children visiting a CBCCPP withing the public school building, of which they are a student, shall be exempt from needing to have a child's file as required in rule 3.4.4.1 of these regulations.

“The first two of the five children's files reviewed were missing the annual physical documentation. Each child had been in care for more than 45 days. Corrective Action: Review all children's files to confirm the required documentation is in place. Work with the two identified families to ensure the annual physical documentation is submitted to the program.”

Correction date in the state record: Aug 5, 2021

Regulation 7.6.10: The program director shall ensure that the business manager is oriented to the program's policies and practices of the CBCCPP as required in the rule 7.1.3 of these regulations within one (1) month of his/her employment start date.

“It was confirmed that the Business Manager had not completed oreintation training by the time of this visit. The Business Manager has been in the role since October 2020. Corrective Action: Orientation training was completed following the site visit. Ensure that all required trainings are up to date and maintained as required for the Business Manager.”

Correction date in the state record: Jul 21, 2021

Regulation 6.2.5.5: At least one (1) staff member shall sit with children during meals and snacks.

“A staff person did not sit down with the children during lunch in the preschool classroom. The three staff persons were observed assisting with meal service, setting up rest mats, assisting with toileting, and cleaning up toys while children ate at the tables. Corrective Action: Ensure a staff person sits with children during snack and lunch times daily.”

Correction date in the state record: Jul 9, 2021

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.

“Child A was required to remain seated upon Staff Person X's lap for an estimated 3-5 minutes because the child had scratched an agemate. Child A was reportedly crying and twisting or flailing his/her body while held on the staff person's lap. The staff person involved acknowledged that she required the child to remain upon her lap until another staff person came out to the playground and could address the child. Corrective Action: Effective immediately, the practice of requiring a child to remain seated upon a staff person's lap as a guidance technique is to be discontinued. As discussed with the program director on the date of this visit, the program is to submit a corrective action plan that outlines the acceptable guidance strategies to be used to address children's challenging behaviors. In this corrective action, will need to be the specific interventions allowed for the age groups, progression of staff responses to escalating behaviors, when a parent is to be involved in deciding upon guidance strategies, and how the Director will provide support and monitoring of the implementation of the strategies by staff persons.”

Correction date in the state record: Jun 21, 2021