Towar Head Start

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 10/04/21, I reviewed an email sent to the department regarding the incident. According to the email, on 9/30/21, "Ms. Paulica's class was having a fire drill. Child A was in line with the rest of the children and did not want to move at the same pace because she was refusing to walk back to the classroom. Child A was screaming loudly and could be heard by others nearby. Child A continued to scream and protest not walking back to the center after the fire drill. Ms. Paulica was observed picking up Child A sideways (child's belly to the teacher's hip) and tried to carry Child A back to the center. Child A was moving around so much Ms. Paulica realized she could not hold the child like that. Ms. Paulica then proceeded to explain to Child A in a loud manner that Child A needed to get it together and follow along with the other children. Child A continued to scream and refuse to walk. Ms. Paulica then grabbed the back of Child A's coat area where the arms are and lifted Child A up by her coat and made Child A walk back to the center." The complainant spoke with a supervisor of the center and was told that Child A has "some issues" that they are trying to help her get services for. In addition, the supervisor also informed the complainant that the center is understaffed, and Ms. Paulica is dealing with three-year-old children. The complainant said she did not want to make the matter racial noted that Ms. Paulica is white, and Child A is black. On 10/04/21, I conducted an announced onsite inspection to the center and interviewed Ms. Bitsy Bowes, family advocate for the center. Ms. Bowes was not working on 9/30/21 when the incident occurred; however, was made aware of the incident when she returned to work. Ms. Bowes said she has been working for the facility for 11 years and has been present at the Towar Head Start site for the past five years. According to Ms. Bowes, Ms. Alice Paulica informed her that she had an incident occur with Child A on 9/29/21 while she conducted a fire drill. Ms. Bowes confirmed that she is administrative support for the classrooms and provides assistance for the classrooms when needed but reiterated on 9/30/21 and was not working to provide assistance to the classrooms. 3 On 10/04/21 I interviewed Ms. Alice Paulica, child care staff member at the center. Ms. Paulica has been a preschool teacher for over 34 years and reports to love her job working with the children each year. I informed Ms. Paulica of the allegation. Ms. Paulica denied not providing the children with appropriate care and supervision during the fire drill conducted on 9/30/21. Ms. Paulica confirmed on 9/30/21 that she and Ms. Sarah Norman, child care staff member worked the head start classroom and there were 11 children present in care. At approximately 10:45 a.m., Ms. Paulica and Ms. Norman conducted a fire drill with the children. Both child care staff members had the children line up by the door, performed a quick head count, and then proceeded to exit the center. Upon leaving the center, the child care staff members and children walk up the sidewalk towards a nearby building (Network Center) which is located approximately 100 feet away from the center. When they arrived at the meeting place, the child care staff members had the children line up on the sidewalk, perform a head count at which time the children acknowledge that they are present their name is called. Once completed, the child care staff members began to walk back to the center. Ms. Paulica was leading the group of children back to the center while Ms. Norman remained in the rear of the line. Child A was next to Ms. Paulica in the line of children. Approximately 1/3 of the way back to the center, Child A said she wanted to go to the neighborhood playground. The neighborhood playground is located approximately 50 foot from the walkway. Ms. Paulica explained to Child A that the playground is not for children her age, as the play equipment was geared for school-age children