Schoolhouse Montessori Academy of Canton

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

Based on the interviews with the PD, CCSM’s, and Parents there is sufficient evidence to conclude that Child A (three- year-old) was able to leave the classroom and exit the child care center without supervision.

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

On 04/25/2023 arnvea onsite Tor an unannounced inspection. We spoke to the Program Director, Neha Ved. She said that on Friday 0412112023 she got an email from Child A's Mother that contained hotos of Child A. The photo showed Child A's ■ with what appeared to be p that had faded away t She gave Child A's Mother her phone r and asked her to call her. Chi s Mother called her, and she said she was unaware of anything happening to Child A but that she was going to contact staff members. She called employees who had contact with Child A that day. She said everyone told her that they were unaware of any marks. On Monday 0412412023, she questioned all staff individually and they all signed statements that they were unaware of how Child A got While onsite we interviewed CCSM 1, CCSM 2, CCSM 3, and CCSM 4, who are Child A's teachers in the toddler room. We also interviewed, CCSM 5, CCSM 6, and CCSM 7, who are staff members who work in the afterschool program where Child A attends. All staff members said that Child A had a good day and was acting normal all day long. No staff members saw any marks on his body. CCSM 1, CCSM 2, CCSM 3, CCSM 4, CCSM 6 and CCSM 7 all said that they have never seen a staff member acting inappropriately, getting frustrated or grabbing with Child A or with other students. I asked CCSM 1, who is the lead teacher in the classroom and who is Child A's primary caregiver, she said that she was. I asked if she noticed anything during diaper changes and she stated that CCSM 8, who was a sub, had been the one to change Child A's diapers throughout the day. She did not observe any other staff members interacting with Child A that day. She stated that Child A usually plays by himself and that no one was playing with him on Friday. CCSM 2, who is an assistant in the classroom, said that Child A, was fussy and crying around 11:00 a.m. because a child was getting close to him. They moved the 3 other child away from Child A and then Child A was fine. CCSM 5 stated that she is usually in the toddler classroom for around 45 minutes each day before taking the children to the after-school program and that she changed Child A's diaper at 2:25 p.m. and did not notice any marks. She then took the children down to the after- school program classroom. Child A did not want to watch the movie they had on, so he played with bowling pins until Child A's Mother picked him up at 4:15 p.m. CCSM 5 did say that she has seen staff members in the past. Child A. as well as other children, but that she has never seen them leave bruises or marks before. She did not feel like it has ever been an aggressive grab. While onsite, and I observed Child A in the classroom. He was in the corner crying"anWAINasivoisibly upset. CCSM 1 stated he was upset because they had just transitioned back into the classroom. Child A was trying to grab lunch boxes off the shelf and CCSM 2 kept taking them away from him and asking him if he wanted to do a puzzle. I asked if the lunch box he was grabbing was his and CCSM 2 stated that no, it was another child's but that it looked identical to his. I suggested giving him his lunch box to see what happens. CCSM 2 gave Child A his lunch box and he immediately stopped crying and walked to the table. CCSM 1 then prepared a snack for Child A. He sat at the table quietly and ate his snack. After leaving the facility I contacted Child A's Mother. She said that she dressed Child A that morning and when he was dropped off at school, he had no marks on his body. She picked him up around 4:30p.m. After dinner around 6:00 p.m. she was dressing Child A for bedtime, and she noticed . She emailed the program director and called one of the teachers, CCSM 5.Ms esaid that she would contact all staff and would get back to her. Ms. Ved asked her if she thought they could be from or another child, she replied "absolute) not." She said that they looked like and looked like an adult . The spacing between were too big to be from a child. She sta

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R 400.8140 · R 400.8140 Discipline. (1) Positive methods of discipline that encourage self- control, self-direction, self-esteem, and cooperation must be used.

On 12/2/2021, I conducted an unannounced inspection at Schoolhouse Montessori. I interviewed the program director, Neha Vah. She stated Child A's Mother reported she was standing in the doorway waiting to pick up Child A. She observed CCSM, Ms. Rhodes holding Child A by both arms. She described it as tightly. Ms. Rhodes was having Child A apologize to Child B for hitting her. Child A eventually apologized but Ms. Rhodes did not let go of his arms. Ms. Rhodes began to tell Child A "it is not okay to hit our friends". Child A's Mother felt like Ms. Rhodes was trying to get Child A to acknowledge what she was saying before she would let him go. Child A's Mother believed it was too long to restrain him. Ms. Vah stated all CCSMs go through training on discipline and how to use restraints. She 2 stated she did a refresher with the staff using training guidelines from Behavior Management Strategies on 11/11/2021. I interviewed CCSM Jennifer Rhodes. She stated Child A hit Child B. She was sitting on the ground and had Child A stood in front of her. She was holding both of his hands. She denied she was tightly holding him by the arms. She told him it was "not okay to hit others." She was waiting to get him to acknowledge what she was saying. Child A's Mother was there waiting for him. Child A's Mother asked her how long she was going to restrain him. Ms. Rhodes stated she was not restraining him, and she was just trying to get him to acknowledge that he could not hit the other children. Ms. Rhodes told Child A's Mother she was following the training she received on behavior management provided by the center. She stated Ms. Vah did a refresher on this training at their last staff meeting. I interviewed CCSM, Loreal Allen-Diuduid. She was the second CCSM in the room. She stated Child A had hit Child B. Ms. Rhodes was having him apologize, she had Child A by the hands and told him to tell Child B "sorry". Child A's Mother was standing in the doorway. Child A saw her and was pulling away trying to get to her. He eventually said "okay" to Ms. Rhodes telling him not to hit. Ms Diuduid stated Ms. Rhodes did not restrain him nor was she holding him tightly. Ms. Diuduid also stated Ms. Vah did a retraining on behavior management. On 12/21/2021, I interviewed Child A's Mother by telephone. She stated on 10/28/2021, she arrived at the center to pick up Child A. She was in the doorway. Ms. Rhodes had Child A standing in front of her. She was having him apologize to Child B for hitting her. Child A apologized but Ms Rhodes did not release him but again stated to him that it is not okay to hit other children. She was waiting for him to look at her and acknowledge what she was saying before she would let him leave. She asked Ms. Rhodes if she had not been there how long would she have held on to Child A. She responded with a minute or two. Ms. Rhodes stated she received training on discipline and restraining a child from the center. Child A's Mother stated she spoke the director Ms. Vah about the incident. Ms. Vah stated perhaps Ms. Rhodes was using a technique meant for an older child. She would provide training on the proper technique. Child A's Mother stated she removed Child A from the center because she felt they should not have held Child A by the hand or arm. They should not put their hands on him at all. Ms. Vah provided me with the opportunity to look through their training materials which appeared appropriate. Child A's Mother was referencing the MCL 380.1307 MI Seclusion and Restraint law that really does not apply in this case. 3

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R 400.8140 · R 400.8140 Discipline. (3) Non-severe and developmentally appropriate discipline or restraint may be used when reasonably necessary, based on a child's development, to prevent a child from harming himself or herself or to prevent a child from harming other persons or property, excluding those forms of punishment prohibited by subrule (2) of this rule.

Ms. Rhodes was not restraining Child A by holding hands to get him to apologize and acknowledge that hitting other children is wrong.

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