Montessori Children's House of Lenawee

R 400.8125 · R 400.8125 Staff; volunteer; requirements. .......... ........... ........... (1) All staff and volunteers shall provide appropriate care and supervision of children at all times.

On 9/22/22, I spoke with the complainant to gain further information regarding the complaint. On 9/22/22, I interviewed Ms. Karah Roesler, central administrator via telephone. Ms. Roesler said on 9/21/22 at approximately 11:05 a.m. Child A was left alone on the playground for approximately one to two minutes before a child care staff member went back out to get her from the playground. Ms. Roesler said the child care staff members, Ms. Emily Swander, Ms. Ivy McDonald, and Ms. Ashley McCutchan were lining the children up at the playground gate area. As Ms. Sanders was conducting a head count on the children, she got distracted by another child needing her help. After helping the child, Ms. Sanders went back to the line and the children walked inside. When they got inside of the center, Ms. Sanders conducted another head count and realized Child A was missing. Ms. Sanders immediately contacted administration, Mr. Xavier Sarabia to notify him of the incident. Mr. Sarabia immediately went out to the playground and saw Child A siting inside of the wagon inside of the paly area. Mr. Sarabia brought Child A back into the classroom with the other children. Child A was in good spirits and didn't even realize the children left the playground area as he was playing in the wagon by himself. Child A's Parents and the department were notified of the incident. Child A's Father felt the incident was an unfortunate oversight on the center. He was not concerned of the incident and said that due to Child A's age, he felt it was normal for him to want to continue to play instead of going inside the center. Child A does the same behavior when he is playing at home. Ms. Roesler said that Child A continues to attend care at the center. Since the incident occurred, Ms. Roesler said that the center is taking the incident serious and has made additional head count times when children are engaged in outdoor play and during busy transition times. When children are coming in from outdoor play, they added an additional head count to be completed after the children exit the gated area. They also have the child care staff members located in the front, rear, and middle of the walking line of child care children. Ms. Roesler has also spoke with all the staff members during meeting to remind them of the importance to assure all of the children are being provided with appropriate care and 3 supervision at all times to include completing the head counts during busy transition times. On 9/28/22, I conducted an unannounced onsite inspection to the center and interviewed Ms. Emily Swander, child care staff member in the toddler transition room. I informed Ms. Swander of the allegation. Ms. Swander confirmed she, Ms. McDonald, and Ms. McCutchan working in the toddler transition room with nine child care children. Around 10:05 a.m., the child care staff members took the children outside for outdoor play activities. Ms. Swander said during transition times, they have the children line up, complete a head count, and then proceed to walk to the outdoor play area with a child care staff member located at the front and rear of the walking line of children. Once they arrive in the gated outdoor play area, they conduct another head count and allow the children to play. Approximately one hour later when it was time to go inside, the child care staff members had the children line back up at the gate area to conduct a head count. As Ms. McDonald was conducting a head count on the children, they only counted seven children. One child was hiding under the picnic table as he did not want to stop playing and go back inside; another child kept leaving the line as well as he wanted to remain outside and play. Ms. Sanders said she got distracted by the children needing her help. After helping the children, Ms. Sanders went back to the line and the children walked inside. Another head count was completed, and the child care staff members thought they had all the children. They were una

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