Thrive After School and Summer Program

Regulation 18.77: Within six months of the initial date of employment, Staff working with children and the Site Director and/or Program Administrator 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 Section 5 of these regulations shall be submitted to NLCDC to be verified and maintained in BFIS.

“Staff BFIS accounts were reviewed, and none of them were complete with required documentation and certificates. Corrective Action: Submit an action plan on how staff will be supervised and trained on how to update their BFIS accounts with all required documentation. You may reach out to Resource Advisor Adri Taylo-Behrman at Northern Lights at CCV for assistance in training staff on their BFIS accounts and other resources.”

Correction date in the state record: Aug 6, 2026

Regulation 5.12: The licensee shall ensure that all new staff prior to working with children in the Afterschool Child Care Program; 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.

“It was identified that three (3) staff have not come into compliance with fingerprinting. Letters were sent to staff A in July 2025 and to staff B and C in October 2025. Corrective Action: Reach out to Childcare Business Technician [name] and send in new record check authorization forms if required. Follow through on staff getting fingerprinted and submitting out of state forms if necessary.”

Correction date in the state record: Aug 6, 2026

Regulation 5.39: Within six months of hire, all paid Staff counted in the staff/child ratios shall have obtained CDD-approved training in infant/child CPR and basic first aid for children, injury prevention and emergency readiness. All Staff shall receive retraining in first aid prior to the expiration date on each Staff person's first aid card.

“It was confirmed that nine (9) staff do not have up to date first aid and infant/child CPR certification. Corrective Action: Have the identified staff complete first aid and infant/child CPR as soon as possible. Submit the completed certification to Northern Lights at CCV so that it may be entered into BFIS Quality and Credential Accounts via Direct Send.”

Correction date in the state record: Aug 6, 2026

Regulation 5.4: Afterschool Child Care Program Staff that work in the Afterschool Child Care Program are required to have at least one of the following within the first year of employment: * Vermont Afterschool Foundations Certificate or * Vermont Afterschool Essentials Certificate or * Vermont On-the-Job Training Certificate or * Vermont Afterschool Professional Credential or * Vermont Program Director Credential or * Vermont Teacher Licensure or * BA/BS or Associates degree

“It was identified that there are six (6) program staff who have been employed for more than one (1) year that do not meet qualifications as required. Corrective Action: Have the staff complete the Vermont Afterschool Foundations Certificate or Essential Certificate as soon as possible. Reach out to Ben Ardell at VT Afterschool to assist with this process. Submit an action plan on how staff will be supervised to ensure that they will meet Program Staff qualifications within one year of employment as required.”

Correction date in the state record: Aug 6, 2026

Regulation 8.14: Staff shall not use electronic devices including cellphones for personal use when in ratio with children unless there is an emergency or to take photos.

“Staff statements acknowledge that staff have been on cell phones for personal use while they were supposed to be working with children. Corrective Action: Create a cellphone policy that ensures staff have cellphones put away and that they are actively supervising and interacting with children while they are in ratio. This cell phone policy must be part of the program improvement plan.”

Correction date in the state record: Sep 10, 2024

Regulation 7.7: Children shall be protected at all times from the harmful acts of other children.

“Staff stated that the program has been working with children who have been bullying other children over the summer. A child was kicked by another child when they were wrestling together and the staff did not protect the child from being harmed by other children. Corrective Action: Create a program improvement plan that addresses how staff will be trained in positive guidance and discipline practices, how staff will be supervised, a procedure for staff concerns and and how training and support of staff will be enhanced.”

Correction date in the state record: Sep 10, 2024

Regulation 9.2.a.: No Staff, employee, volunteer or parent shall use corporal punishment or other forms of inappropriate discipline, such as, but not limited to: hitting, shaking, biting, pinching

“Staff A used inappropriate discipline when they slapped a child on the face. Staff who observed the incident shared that Staff A and the child had been engaged in rough play and that similar incidents had occured previously. After this incident, Staff A was reported to supervisors and terminated from the program. This is a serious violation. Corrective Action: Effective immediately, only appropriate methods of guidance and discipline practices will be used with children in care. Create a program improvement plan that addresses how staff will be trained in positive guidance and discipline practices, how staff will be supervised, a procedure for staff concerns and how training and support of staff will be enhanced. By 9/10/2024, mail the parent notification letter as outlined above and submit the list of parents, their contact information, and who received the parent notification letter to this licensor.”

Correction date in the state record: Sep 10, 2024

Regulation 18.77: Within six months of the initial date of employment, Staff working with children and the Site Director and/or Program Administrator 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 Section 5 of these regulations shall be submitted to NLCDC to be verified and maintained in BFIS.

“An audit of staff BFIS Quailty and Crediential Accounts found that they are not up to date with required documentation of qualifications, certifications and trainings. Corrective Action: Develop a plan for staff to maintain BFIS Quality and Credential Accounts as discussed. Submit confirmation of the plan to this licensor by 8/2/2024.”

Correction date in the state record: Sep 10, 2024

Regulation 10.9: Emergency evacuations shall be practiced with the children each month. A record of practice drills for the previous and current year shall be maintained and available onsite. Practice drills may be pre-announced. There shall be: * a system in place to assure that all children are accounted for at a predetermined safe place; * a safety plan that may include additional lock down practices and procedures.

“It was shared that while the progam has been completing monthly evacuation drills, documentation of practiced drills has not been maintained. Corrective Action: Create a system to ensure practiced emergency evacuation drills are recorded as required.”

Correction date in the state record: Jul 12, 2024

Regulation 5.31: Orientation training shall be conducted for every employee before they are left alone with children. This training shall be documented and shall cover material included in the Staff handbook and licensing regulations. 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 and child guidance; * Curriculum development policies and responsibilities; * Supervision of children; * Policies and procedures for reporting a missing child; * Child accident and injury procedures including building and physical premises safety; * Safe sleep practices; * Requirements for administration and storage of medication; * Emergency Response Plan and emergency procedures, including: staffing emergencies, school closings, evacuation plans such as site evacuations in case of national or environmental emergency, lock-down procedures, responding to a sick or injured child and medical emergencies; * Use of fire extinguishers; * Nutrition and food safety including prevention of and response to emergencies due to food and allergic reactions; * Recordkeeping, including daily attendance procedures; * Transportation and child passenger safety; * Off-site activities (field trips) * Release of children; * Respectful engagement of families, including daily communication with parents about their child's activities; * 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; * Responsibility to comply with current applicable licensing regulations; * Staffing plans and definitions of related duties to include opening and closing procedures; * Afterschool Child Care Program licensing regulations; * Employee complaint and grievance procedures; and * Assuring children have extra clothes and diapers available.

“Upon review of the orientation training created by the program, it was determined that it did not meet all the bullets listed in this rule as required. It was also discovered that not all staff had completed the mandated reporter training as required. Corrective Action: Update the orientation training to include all the bulleted information and have staff complete the mandated reporter training that is available on DCF's website. Submit the updated orientation to this licensor for review.”

Correction date in the state record: Jul 12, 2024

Regulation 5.39: Within six months of hire, all paid Staff counted in the staff/child ratios shall have obtained CDD-approved training in infant/child CPR and basic first aid for children, injury prevention and emergency readiness. All Staff shall receive retraining in first aid prior to the expiration date on each Staff person's first aid card.

“An audit of BFIS Quality and Credential Accounts and confirmation from the program director shows that twelve staff who have been employed for more than three (3) months, have not obtained infant/child CPR and first aid and/or maintained current first aid certification prior to expiration. Corrective Action: Have staff complete pediatric first aid and CPR certification as soon as possible and ensure that certification will be maintained moving forward.”

Correction date in the state record: Jul 12, 2024

Regulation 10.9: Emergency evacuations shall be practiced with the children each month. A record of practice drills for the previous and current year shall be maintained and available onsite. Practice drills may be pre-announced. There shall be: * a system in place to assure that all children are accounted for at a predetermined safe place; * a safety plan that may include additional lock down practices and procedures.

“The evacuation drill log reflected that the only drills practiced over the past year were in 3/2021 and 3/2020. The Program Adminstrator confirmed that emergency evacuation drills had not been practiced monthly as required with the exception of the ones documented. Corrective Action: Effective immediately, resume monthly emergency evacuation drills. Develop a system to prompt program staff to complete a monthly evacuation drill as required.”

Correction date in the state record: Jun 21, 2021

Regulation 18.77: Within six months of the initial date of employment, Staff working with children and the Site Director and/or Program Administrator 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 Section 5 of these regulations shall be submitted to NLCDC to be verified and maintained in BFIS.

“A review of BFIS Quality and Credential accounts and confirmation with the Program Administrator show that not all staff have submitted documentation, verification of qualifications and professional developement activities as required. Corrective Action: Submit all required documentation, verification of qualifications and professional development activities to Northern Lights at CCV for entry into BFIS. Create a plan to ensure all documentation, verification of qualifications and professional development activities are sent forward in a timely manner moving forward.”

Correction date in the state record: Jun 21, 2021