• Violation

  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. 4

  On 05/17/2021, Bonnie Shabinaw, program director contacted and left a message for Ms. Johnson, licensing consultant, regarding a child being left on the playground. On 05/18/2021, Ms. Shabinaw submitted an incident report. According to the incident report, on 05/17/2021 at 12:55 p.m. it was not noticed that Child A did not line up and enter the classroom with the rest of the class. The classroom door was closed. Child A knocked on the door and the teacher that was at the door let her in. The door had been closed two to three minutes. Child A's Father was notified in person at pick up. On 05/19/2021, I spoke to Child A's Father regarding the allegations. He stated that Child A is in the Owl classroom and has been attending since September 2020. On 05/17/2021, Child A's Father was informed that Child A was left on the playground earlier that day during pick up. Child A's Father stated that Child A did not mention the incident when they arrived home. She seemed unbothered by the incident, but Child A's Father was concern of how an incident like this could occur. A counting system should be in place, so the children are not left unaccounted for. On 05/20/2021, I completed an unannounced inspection at Hunter Elementary School/ GSRP. I spoke to Ms. Shabinaw, and child care staff members Melissa Miller and Susan Mathes regarding the allegations. I observed the Owl classroom and the outdoor play time. The Owl classroom has two doors to exit the classroom. One door goes to the hallway to the school, and the other door goes to the fenced playground area. The children are unable to leave the fenced playground area as there is no opening accessible to the children. There were 11 preschoolers, age 4 to 5 years, with three caregivers. The attendance sheet from 05/17/2021 and Child A's child information card was reviewed. On 05/17/2021, there was 10 children present with three caregivers. According to Ms. Shabinaw, on 05/17/2021, Ms. Miller and Ms. Mathes took the ten children outside after lunch. Ms. Shabinaw remain the classroom while the children were outside. The children were outside about 20 to 25 minutes before they returned to the classroom. When the children returned to the classroom, Ms. Shabinaw and Ms. Mathes began getting the children water. Ms. Miller brought in the cart with the playground equipment and then she went back out again, to grab the plants the children had planted. The classroom door was shut to the playground area for a short amount of time. Ms. Shabinaw put up the curtain to the window of the playground door. She heard a knock at the door, and it was Child A. Child A was not crying. Ms. Shabinaw asked her why she did not line up with the class. Child A stated that she was under the play scape because she hurt her knee. Ms. Shabinaw stated that this was an incident where Ms. Miller thought Ms. Mathes counted the children and vice versa. Prior to COVID-19, they had the children stand in line and they counted the children together as a group but now they have the children stand six feet apart and each caregiver is responsible for the children in 3 their group. Since this incident occurred, they now count all the children before they go out and when they return inside the classroom. According to Ms. Miller, on 05/17/2021, Ms. Mathes and she took the children outside to play. There were ten children present on 05/17/2021. A five-minute warning was given to the children so they could prepare to go back into the classroom. Once the five minutes was up, the children lined up on the wall of the building. Ms. Mathes walked the children in the classroom, and she was getting the toys and brining the cart in. She then went back out to get the plants and she put them on the table. Ms. Shabinaw put the curtain up and Ms. Miller went over to help with the cots. The cots are located near the door to the playground. That is when they heard the knocked at the door and it was Child A. Ms. Mathes was across the room helping the child

On 05/17/2021, Child A (4-year-old, female) was left unattended outside.

Disposition: Substantiated