Cited finding
Handwashing after diapering/toileting in separate area from food preparation
Loading
Loading facility…
Pulling inspections, violations, and complaints.
Loading
Pulling inspections, violations, and complaints.
Home › MA › North Chelmsford › Knowledge Beginnings - Research Park
License #P-170730 · Center · Center-Based Care
Not published by the state. Owners can add hours via profile claim.
When they operate
Schedule type not published.
Ages served
Ages not published.
Complaint outcomes are not published by Massachusetts EEC.
Tap a row to expand inspection details, findings, and the state record.
This investigation inspection recorded no violations or advisories.
Handwashing after diapering/toileting in separate area from food preparation
Accurate attendance; arrival/departure times
Leave your email if you want a note when this facility's license or enforcement status changes.
Data synced from Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care on Jul 10, 2026 · Source records · Report an error
Although there were no emergency medications in a classroom an educator stated they were new and unaware if there were any children with chronic medical conditions/emergency medications.
Indoor Space
Orientation
Supervision of children
Attendance was not maintained accurate when two groups combined.
Sufficient materials & equipment visible, available, and accessible
Staff Records
Children's records and checklist
Educators in one classroom were not providing adequate supervision to the classroom as a whole. A child was throwing toys and waving dramatic play brooms/mop and educators did not do anything. One educator remained sitting at a table and the other stayed in one area of the room. Both educators often had their heads down; therefore, they were not fully aware of what all the children were doing.
Review of IHCPs in classrooms observed found 1 child's plan did not have the child's name on it and another child's IHCP states an inhaler as part of their plan and there was no inhaler on site.
Individual Health Care Plan (IHCP)
Random review of 8 children's files found 1 with expired enrollment paperwork and expired physical and one file not all enrollment forms were signed/dated.
Random review of 8 staff files the following was found: 3 did not have a current physical and one did not have evidence of immunity to MMR.
There was not a sufficent amount of toys/materials in a toddler classroom. Two shelves were empty and only a few books were available in the book shelf.
Health and safety inspection found the following: areas throughout the center that need to be repainted, an educator's coffee and their purse was left within reach of children on a table, and laminator left on low shelf within reach posing potential hazard.
One infant classroom is using the same sink for diapering/handwashing/and food prep.
This investigation inspection recorded no violations or advisories.
This investigation inspection recorded no violations or advisories.
During health and safety inspection educators personal drinks, food and purses/bags were found within reach of children which poses potential hazards.
Licensor observed through the classroom window a preschool group on the playground. The two educators stood together between the structure and open grassy area. The educators were observed talking and not providing adequate supervision to their group the entire time they were outside. One educator was observed texting on their cellphone repeatedly.
Staff Schedule/Qualifications - R Sep 2025
Supervision of Children
Indoor Space
Emergency Evacuation - R Apr 2025
Diapering and Toileting for children under 2.9
This investigation inspection recorded no violations or advisories.
This investigation inspection recorded no violations or advisories.
This investigation inspection recorded no violations or advisories.
This follow-up visit inspection recorded no violations or advisories.
One child's IHCP had multiple pages which had different instructions. One page stated Benadryl and 2 pages stated Ceterizine. Program only had Benadryl on site and needs to work with family to get clarification on whether they need [REDACTED]on site.
One child's emergency medications were not moved to the classroom the child was during a transition making them not readily available in an emergency.
A medication consent for [REDACTED]expired 1/2024.
Materials
Indoor Space
Individual Health Care Plan (IHCP) - R Apr 2025
Emergency medications readily available
This investigation inspection recorded no violations or advisories.
An educator was unaware if any children in the classroom had emergency medication stating they had only been working there for one month.
Knowledge of emergency medications
Toddler 4 classroom did not have a variety of materials for the children to engage in. A doll did not have a head on it and the dramatic play kitchen was missing the sink and stovetop. Classroom design is not being maximized for children's access and the promotion of creative and independent play. Overall feel of classroom was disheveled and unorganized.
Attendance
Classroom environment
Materials
Handwashing
One child's IHCP stated Benadryl as part of the emergency plan and there was no [REDACTED] on site for this child. There was no IHCP on file for one child.
An educator was unable to effectively clean and disinfect in their classroom because they did not have a disinfectant solution in the classroom.
Emergency medication
Food Storage, Sanitation & Safety
Equipment is clean, safe, secured, and poses no hazard.
Emergency medication for a child was not brought to the classroom when the group transitioned to another classroom.
An educator was observed using a broom to sweep excess snack off the table onto the floor while a toddler was still sitting at the table and eating. The same toddler was then observed eating snack that had fallen onto the floor. Licensor had to instruct the educators to stop the child from eating off the floor and to quickly finish cleaning up the rest of the floor.
This investigation inspection recorded no violations or advisories.
This investigation inspection recorded no violations or advisories.
This investigation inspection recorded no violations or advisories.
Children were observed on the playground climber. The ground is still partially frozen and there is not enough impact absorbing material under or around the climber.
Labeled items
Many water bottles/cups for children were not found to be individually labeled.
Hazardous items
During observation of diaper changing in a toddler room a teacher changed a child's diaper, put him on the floor to go play and then went to refrigerator to get a teether for a another child. The teacher did not wash their hands or the child's. The child was also observed holding a stuffed animal while they were getting changed and placing the stuffed animal on their private area while being changed. This is not sanitary and the child continued to carry the stuffed animal around the classroom.
Cleanliness
Current consent for administered medications - R Apr 2025
Indoor Space
Emergency Evacuation - R Apr 2025
Medication
During health and safety inspection the following was found accessible to children: emergency bags containing medication, a staff person's drink, a teacher's purse and a bag of granola.
Per the programs evacuation log, there were 3 months this year a drill did not happen. The log also did not maintain consistent documentation of the times the drills were done.
One child's[REDACTED]was found expired as of 6/2021.
This monitoring visit inspection recorded no violations or advisories.
This investigation inspection recorded no violations or advisories.
Staff meeting documentation
Random review of 5 staff files found: 3 files with no current physical, 5 files with either no/or expired PQ registry, no evidence of Strong Start in any files, 2 had no current first aid and 1 had no evidence of [REDACTED]
Peeling paint was found throughout the center's classrooms/bathrooms.
Not all classrooms had a sufficient amount of books accessible to children.
Observations of staff have been conducted by an unqualified administrator.
Individual Health Care Plan (IHCP) - R Apr 2025
Evacuation drill log, all groups
This investigation inspection recorded no violations or advisories.
An educator is being used as teacher qualified, and they do not have required certification on file.
Evacuation drill log did not contain documentation of what exit route was used during each drill.
Educator was observed not washing child's hands after diapering. Educator only used one step process to clean and disinfect diaper changing table
Current consent for administered medications - R Apr 2025
A toddler classroom had only 5 books in a large bookshelf available to children which minimizes access to a variety of books for the children to engage with.
During health and safety inspection the following was found: staff drinks and food items within reach of children and unlabeled water bottles.
Attendance in a preschool classroom was inaccurate. A child had been marked out who was still present.
Toddler 4 classroom had the following issues during inspection: stained/dirty toilet needing replacement, shelf positioned too close to end of indoor climber and dramatic play kitchen is not secured.
Licensor had to remind educator to have child wash their hands after blowing their nose.
Review of 6 children's files found the following: 2 had enrollment forms that were dated in 12/2021 therefore expired, 1 needed a current physical and 2 needed current lead screening.
Review of 5 staff files found the following: 1 had no current physical, 1 had no PQ registration and 1 had an expired PQ registration and 1 did not have current first aid.
An educator left an infant classroom out of ratio to come to the office and ask the Licensor questions in the front office.
During the visit it was learned an infant who is regularly assigned to Infant A was moved to Infant B. Educator in Infant A stated it was because 8 infants were scheduled in their room that day. Infant A only had 5 infants in attendance. Children are to be assigned to a consistent group with consistent staffing.
A shelf was positioned too close to the end of an indoor toddler slide posing a potential hazard.
There was not a sufficient amount or variety of toys/materials for children to use in a toddler classroom.
During health and safety inspection the following was found dirty toilets, educators' personal drinks and food items found within reach of children, broken blinds, unsecured brooms throughout center, hole in ceiling by sprinkler in Inf A and walls throughout center need to be repainted.
In one classroom emergency medications were kept in a backpack on a shelf within reach of children.
Educator was observed putting a toddler child down on the floor after diapering and neither the educator nor the child's hands were washed.
Children's records and checklist - R Apr 2025
Staff Records - R Apr 2025
Staff:child ratios and groupings
Consistent groupings
Sufficient materials & equipment visible, available, and accessible
Indoor Space
Proper sanitizing techniques; Bottles labeled and out of children's reach
Medication Storage; Medication Container/Label
Handwashing after diapering/toileting in separate area from food preparation
Individual Health Care Plan (IHCP) - R Apr 2025
Handwashing
Paint
Playground surfacing
A teacher's purse was found on a counter accessible to children and poses a potential hazard and a chord to a pencil sharpener on top of a shelf was not secured.
Not all bathrooms were found clean. Trash was spilling out over the trashcan, a sink did not appear to be regularly cleaned and a broken diaper disposal container found in a preschool bathroom.
Peeling paint/holes in paint found in multiple classrooms.
Program does not have medication authorization on file for 2 children's medications.
Medication Storage; Medication Container/Label
Toothbrushing when in care > 4 hours/meal consumed; labeled, sanitary storage
No peeling or flaking paint (indoor and out)
It could not be determined if monthly staff meetings have been held.
Random review of 8 children's files found the following: 2 had no current lead screening, 4 had outdated enrollment forms, 1 had no current physical/immunizations and 2 did not have consent on file for an EI worker to work with the child at the program.
Dramatic play table was found with a ripped cover, base of wooden door frame is broken and brooms resting against walls pose a potential hazard.
Due to lack of documentation it could not be determined if the program has held evacuation drills monthly.
No consent for medication administration on file for a child's medication.
[REDACTED]IHCP was not signed by a parent. [REDACTED]IHCP stated for one medication and the program had a different medication on site.
Not all toothbrushes and storage holders are stored in a sanitary manner.
Staff observations
Staff Records - R Apr 2025
Children's records and checklist - R Apr 2025
Sufficient materials & equipment visible, available, and accessible
Indoor Space