R 400.8140(2)(d) · R 400.8140(2)(d) Discipline. Inflicting mental or emotional punishment, such as humiliating, shaming, or threatening a child.

Based on interviews with Licensee Designee, Melissa Galinac, Program Director, child care staff members, and phone interviews from parents, Program Director did not use a prohibited means of discipline that inflicted mental or emotional punishment.

Open Not marked corrected in the state record

Open / not marked corrected.

R 400.8125 · 1 R 400.8125 Staff; volunteer; requirements. (1) All staff and volunteers shall provide appropriate care and supervision of children at all times. 5

On 08/11/2022, I completed an unannounced inspection to the child care center from 10:23 AM to 12:06 PM. I interviewed the Program Director, Melissa Galinac, child care staff members Ms. Thrasser, Ms. Terwillegar, Ms. Phillips, and Ms. Gordon. I interviewed Ms. Galinac, who had no knowledge of the allegations. Ms. Galinac has worked for the child care center for seven years and has been the program director for four years. She has had no issues with Ms. Thrasser, including no disciplinary actions in the past three years and has recently completed an annual review of her. Ms. Galinac believes that Ms. Thrasser gets along with her co-workers very well and has not received any parent complaints about her. She has not witnessed Ms. Thrasser be mean to any child or force children to sit down. There is no wagon in the classroom and does not believe there is a wagon in the child care center. Ms. Galinac informed me that the child care center does have cameras, but it is a live stream only and does not record. While the cameras can be viewed, there is no audio. I interviewed child care staff member Ms. Terwillegar. Ms. Terwillegar has worked at the child care center for six years. Ms. Terwillegar previously worked in the toddler room with Ms. Thrasser but is now the lead caregiver in the infant room as of April 2022. Ms. Terwillegar mostly sees Ms. Thrasser doing activities with the children. She has not witnessed her antagonizing the children or forcing them to do things. Ms. Terwillegar stated that there have been times when she questions what Ms. Thrasser says to the children. Ms. Terwillegar does not believe Ms. Thrasser is mean to the children but at times has not been patient with them. Typically, Ms. Thrasser talks the children through their problems but at times simply commands the children to do something such as, "Stop doing that". Ms. Terwillegar cannot recall any specific incidents and has not had any parents complain to her and has not heard about any parents complaining about Ms. Thrasser. I interviewed child care staff member Ms. Phillips. Ms. Phillips has worked at the child care center for 20 years and has mostly worked in the toddler room. Ms. Phillips works with Ms. Thrasser daily and has never witnessed her antagonizing the children for fun or in any way. Ms. Phillips was surprised by the allegations and has never had any parents complain about Ms. Thrasser. Ms. Thrasser won "teacher of the year" and believes all the parents love her. While Ms. Phillips has not witnessed Ms. Thrasser antagonize or be mean to the children, Ms. Phillips believes that she can be a bit controlling but has good order and classroom management. Ms. Thrasser is adamant about ratio and is very strict about the name to face sheets. Ms. Phillips has not worked with Ms. Thrasser lately as Ms. Phillips is taking a break from the classroom and working in the child care center in a different capacity. I interviewed child care staff Member Ms. Gordon. Ms. Gordon works with Ms. Thrasser often. Ms. Gordon stated that they joke around with the children but make sure the children are okay by talking to them. Ms. Gordon believes that the children do not always like everything Ms. Thrasser does but does not believe Ms. Thrasser 4 is mean to the children. Ms. Gordon does not believe Ms. Thrasser purposely tries to antagonize the children or scare them for fun. She has not witnessed Ms. Thrasser force a child to sit anywhere. Ms. Gordon stated that they do throw balls in the classroom that the children run and get, but they make sure the children are safe and okay. Ms. Gordon does not believe Ms. Thrasser is purposely throwing balls at the children to be mean or for fun. Ms. Gordon does not believe Ms. Thrasser has any malicious intent towards the children. She has not seen her do anything inappropriate but is not always with Ms. Thrasser. Ms. Thrasser is consistent with making sure children stay on routine. Ms. Gordon has not had any parents complain to

Open Not marked corrected in the state record

Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.

R 400.8125 · R 400.8125 Staff; volunteer; requirements. (2) All staff and volunteers shall act in a manner that is conducive to the welfare of children.

On 06/14/2022, Ms. Asamoah did not act in a manner that is conducive to the welfare of children when she pulled Child A by the arm, which resulted in bruises on Child A's arm.

Open Not marked corrected in the state record

Category: recordkeeping. Open / not marked corrected.

Violation

CONCLUSION: IV.

Open Not marked corrected in the state record

Open / not marked corrected.

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 06/14/2022; I received a phone call from Melissa Galinac (program director). She informed me that an incident involving improper discipline had occurred in the early preschool classroom as children prepared for outdoor time. Ms. Galinac stated that Child A's mother and Child A's father told her that they observed child care staff member Magdalene Asamoah pick up Child A by her right arm on the center's video footage and Child A was upset. Child A's mother and Child A's father picked up Child A and left the center with her. Ms. Galinac reviewed the video footage and was able to confirm that Child A was grabbed by her right arm and drug across the classroom by Ms. Asamoah. Ms. Galinac removed Ms. Asamoah from the early preschool classroom and Ms. Asamoah told Ms. Galinac she felt she did nothing wrong and was not upset with Child A. Ms. Galinac stated that Ms. Asamoah was a floater. She covered for the lead staff member on the date of the incident and worked by herself. Child A was a new student at that time and was still adjusting to the classroom's daily routine and programing. On 06/14/2022 I received an incident report from Melissa Galinac. The incident report stated that on 06/14/2022 at 10:13am Child A's mother and Child A's father iC] came into the center to pick up Child A early. Child A's parents stated that they observed child care staff member Magdalene Asamoah mishandling Child A on the classroom video camera. They observed Ms. Asamoah grab Child A by the arm. Ms. Galinac contacted Tanya Zoro (district manager) and Ms. Asamoah was On 06/16/2022, I spoke with Child A's father. He said that Child A was new to the facility. It was her day using the facility when the incident occurred. Child A's father said he wanted to check on his child to see how she acclimated for the day, so he viewed live video feed on Child A's classroom. He stated on 06/14/2022 at 10:13 am he observed children and child care staff member Magdalene Asamoah in the early preschool room. Ms. Asamoah grabbed Child A by the right elbow and lifted her off the ground and carried her towards the door that led to the playground. She dropped her on the floor near the door. Child A moved away from the door. Ms. Asamoah walked over to Child A and drug her by the ankle across the floor, picked her up her arms and swung her before she placed her on the ground outside the classroom door. After he witnessed this, he and Child A's mother went to the center and informed Ms. Galinac of the incident. He picked up Child A and left the center. A short time later, Child A's father noticed she was not able to move her right arm and sustained a rug burn on her back and a bruised elbow and ankle. Child A's Father took three pictures of the injuries Child A sustained just before he drove to urgent care. On 06/16/2022 I received three photographs of Child A's injuries. The first photo is a picture of Child A's back. A raised red circular rash is depicted on the right side of her back between her hip and shoulder blade. The size cannot be determined, as the picture is a close up of the injury, so it is not to scale. The second picture was taken as Child A sat in her car seat. Her right elbow is red and there are two linear bruises just above her elbow. The bruises are roughly quarter size. The third picture is Child A's right leg. There is a circular quarter size bruise on the right side of her shin bone, halfway between her ankle and knee cap. There is a red mark just under the bruise. On 06/16/2022, I contacted Licensee Designee, Tanya Zoro. I requested to observe video footage from the incident. On 06/21/2022, together , a second onsite inspection was conducted. We interviewed Ms. Galinac, Child Care Staff Member, Mary Wood, and Ms. Zoro. We interviewed Ms. Galinac. She indicated that the incident occurred in the early preschool classroom. Children in this room are 30 months to 3 years old. Child A is 4 enrolled in this classroom. Ms. Galinac said Ms. Asamoah worked at

Open Not marked corrected in the state record

Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.

R 400.8140 · R 400.8140 Discipline. (2) All of the following means of punishment are prohibited: (a) Hitting, spanking, shaking, biting, pinching, or inflicting other forms of corporal punishment.

Staff did not refrain from using all forms of prohibited punishment. On 06/16/2022, Ms. Asamoah grabbed Child A by her arm and swung her while going outside. This resulted in a and bruising.

Open Not marked corrected in the state record

Open / not marked corrected.

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

Positive methods of discipline were not used on 06/14/2022 when Ms. Asamoah drug Child A across the floor by her arm when she did not line up to go outside. When Child A diverted from the line, Ms. Asamoah harshly grabbed her arm and sat her down firmly on the floor.

Open Not marked corrected in the state record

Category: ratio. Open / not marked corrected.