Montessori Academy of Farmington Hills

Bureau

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R 400.8176 · R 400.8176 Sleeping equipment. (3) A crib or porta-crib must be provided for all infants in care.

On 01/13/2023, I completed an unannounced onsite inspection. I spoke with program director, Ms. Kapila regarding the number of children enrolled and the number of cribs available. She confirmed a total of 8 infants enrolled (one being over 12 months) and 8 cribs total in the space. She shared each enrolled child has their own crib to sleep in. 2 I observed the infant classroom, at which time there were four infants with one Child Care Staff Member (CCSM). This infant classroom had four cribs. There is an additional approved classroom adjacent to the classroom that is approved for infants. This room has an additional four cribs. At the time of my onsite inspection, there were no CCSM's or children in this room. There are a total of 8 infants enrolled

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R 400.8182 · 1 R 400.8182 Ratio and group size requirements. (3) In each room or well-defined space, the maximum group size and ratio of child care staff members to children, including children related to a staff member or the licensee, must be as shown in Table 4: Age Child Care Staff Maximum Group Size member to Child Ratio a) Infants and toddlers, 1 to 4 12 birth until 30 months of

On 01/13/2023, I completed an unannounced onsite inspection. I spoke with program director, Suman Kapila and Child Care Staff Members (CCSM), A, B, C, D and E. I informed Ms. Kapila of the allegations and requested to complete a ratio check of the classrooms. The following rooms were found to be out of ratio: Young toddler 6 children 1 CCSM Older toddler 10 children 2 CCSM I spoke with program director, Ms. Kapila. Ms. Kapila denied ever being out of ratio. She shared today there was a staff member who called off work, and she offered to show text correspondence. She shared another staff member was called in and should arrive any minute. During the height of the pandemic, there were staffing issues, but over the past few month's things have been going well. There are occasions where children have to be moved around to another class to maintain ratio and she's able to do this as soon as it's brought to her attention. She has started to interview for additional staff to assist with floating and covering when there are staffing issues due to illnesses, etc. I spoke with CCSM A. CCSM A shared there has been staffing issues in the infant classroom. There have been times she's worked with six infants for a short period of time until another staff member came in. She shared the longest would "be like maybe an hour or two but never all day." She could not recall the last time this happened; however, it was within the past two weeks. 3 I spoke with CCSM B. CCSM B denied any knowledge of the rooms being out of ratio. CCSM B shared she's worked in multiple rooms including the infant/toddler rooms and is aware of the ratio for this age group. During the days she works, the rooms are always maintained at a 1:4 staff to child ratio. I spoke with CCSM C, who stated she has concerns regarding the ratio in the mornings. She shared the toddler age group is "almost out of ratio weekly." There have been times she's had seven to eight children by herself for over an hour. There were also times the classroom had sixteen children with two CCSM's. She wasn't sure of the specific dates and shared it hasn't been within the past month. However, the room being out of ratio with one CCSM with between five-eight children has been this week with the latest time being during this onsite today. I spoke with CCSM D. When asked about ratio issues within the toddler classrooms, CCSM D shared "it definitely happens." The last time she recalls being out of ratio was this week due to a CCSM calling off ill. She did not recall the date but shared it was "a couple times from around 8:45am-9:30am." Most of the time there are enough CCSM's, but due to staffing issues sometimes they aren't in ratio. She shared staff gets "overwhelmed" because of ratio issues. I spoke with CCSM E. She shared she's newer to the facility, however, she is aware of the ratio for the toddler age groups and confirmed it's one CCSM to four children. She can recall seeing the toddler age groups out of ratio a "couple times" for 30 to 40 minutes. She shared another CCSM usually comes in around 8:30am and then ratio is maintained. On 02/03/2023, I completed an unannounced onsite inspection. I spoke with program director, Suman Kapila and CCSM F. While in building A speaking with Ms. Kapila, I observed what appeared to be a large number of children in the kindergarten classroom. I attempted to view the attendance record; however, it was not accurate. There were children not signed in at the time of my onsite. I completed a head count and there were twenty-six children with two staff. A third staff member came into the room within five minutes. Ms. Kapila shared the kindergarten and pre-k 2 classroom combined this morning. The ratio for this age group when combined is 1 to 10. I viewed other classrooms, and all were found to be in compliance with ratio. I spoke with CCSM F. She shared there has been no ratio concerns in the infant classrooms during the days she has worked. However, she has heard CCS

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R 400.8182 · R 400.8182 Ratio and group size requirements. (7) If there are children of mixed ages in the same room or well-defined space, then the ratio and group size is determined by the age of the youngest child, unless each group of children is clearly separated and the appropriate child care staff member-to-child ratios and group sizes, if a plicable, for each age group are maintained. il!LIJ N - • • • - + - Z 1N •r r, • • 'lull• ! C1 • ■' ' WI LI W&1 Fi • 1 1 . • i 1 1 t •• • • r • ,, • A P •. •. i' • • 1 ' 1 • 1' 1 1 •' ' i • .•• ♦i •- • i • •• • .• i s • N

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R 400.8167 · R 400.8167 Indoor space. (1) The required square footage of indoor space per child must be at least the following: (b) Thirty-five square feet for preschoolers and school-agers.

On 02/03/2023, the kindergarten classroom operated outside of the room capacity. In addition, Ms. Kapila self-reported pre-k 1 classroom has been utilized outside of its total capacity of six children aaes 30 months and older.

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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.

On 07/13/2022, I interviewed the complainant by telephone. She said she did not witness the incident, but Witness A informed her of the allegations. She reviewed video footage of the incident and observed a female staff from Montessori Academy of Farmington Hills drag a female child from one area in the Franklin Athletic Club to a wall. This occurred several times because the child continued to run away from the group. She is unaware of any injuries to the child. On 07/14/2022, I reviewed video footage dated 07/11/2022. The video footage began at 3:20 p.m. and ended at 3:31 p.m. The video footage did not have audio. The video footage showed the following: • At 03:20:00 p.m., eleven children and two staff are in view of the camera. The children are sitting against the wall by the swim lesson company's office and the staff are standing next to them. • At 03:20:45 p.m., a female child began to walk away from the group. A female child care staff member walked up to the child and grabbed either her upper left arm near her shoulder or her backpack and walked the child back to the wall where the other children were sitting. 3 • At 03:21:00 p.m., the child then began to crawl on the floor towards the child care staff member and stopped at the child care staff member's feet. The child care staff member grabbed the child's left hand and attempted to pull her up to a standing position. The child continued to sit on the floor and the child care staff member grabbed the child's left upper arm and pulled her to the wall where the other children were sitting. The child's feet were dragging on the floor. Once at the wall, the child kicked the wall. • At 03:22:00 p.m., the child care staff member squatted down in front of the child's face and said something to her. The child care staff member walked away and the child began rolling on the floor. The child care staff member pointed towards the wall and said something to the child. • At 03:23:20 p.m., the child stood up and walked away from the group. The child care staff member grabbed either the child's left forearm or left wrist and pulled her next to the wall where the other children were sitting. The child's feet were dragging on the floor. • At 03:24:19 p.m., the child care staff member squatted down in front of the child's face, pointed her finger, and said something to the child. The child care staff member hugged the child and then stood up and walked away. Some of the other children who were with the group were with other child care staff members walking in and out of the bathrooms to change their clothes. • At 03:28:09 p.m., the child walked away from the group and walked by the drinking fountain. A male child, who was sitting by the other children, walked next to the child who was at the drinking fountain. • At 03:28:15 p.m., a female adult and a male adult walked by the two children who were at the drinking fountain. • At 03:28:29 p.m., the female adult and the male adult walked by the two children again and began talking to them. • At 03:29:05 p.m., the adult male walked to the child care staff members who were standing next to the bathrooms. • At 03:29:25 p.m., the female child care staff member walked to the drinking fountain and said something to the two children. The two children walked with the child care staff member back to the group. • At 03:30:00 p.m., all the children began to line up to leave the facility. • At 03:31:00 p.m., the children and the child care staff members walk out of the view of the camera. On, I interviewed Witness A face-to-face. She said she was at the facility on 07/11/2022 around 3:30 p.m. She was standing by the vending machine and observed children sitting by a wall and children going in and out of the bathrooms with other adults. There was one female child who walked away from the group of children several times. Each time the child walked away from the group, a female adult grabbed the child's wrist and dragged her back to the children who were s

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R 400.8112 · R 400.8112 Comprehensive background check; fingerprinting. (4) For an individual who is determined ineligible by the department, a licensee shall immediately do all of the following: (a) Prohibit the individual from being on the premises of the child care center.

The center did not prohibit one of their child care staff members from being on the premises of the child care center after being determined ineligible by the department on 11/10/2021. 1 interviewed the child care staff member at the child care center on 07/14/2022.

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R 400.8112 · R 400.8112 Comprehensive background check; fingerprinting. (4) For an individual who is determined ineligible by the department, a licensee shall immediately do all of the following: (b) Prohibit the individual from having any contact with children in care.

The center did not prohibit one of their child care staff members from having any contact with children in care after being determined ineligible by the department on 11/10/2021. I interviewed the child care staff member at the child care center on 07/14/2022.

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

Child care staff members did not provide appropriate care and supervision of Child A and Child B while they were at Franklin Athletic Club for swim lessons. Based on the interviews with Witness B and Ms. Srikantha and the video footage that I observed, Child A and Child B walked away from the group and were able to talk to two strangers. Ms. Srikantha was informed by the two individuals that Child A and Child B walked away from the group. Ms. Srikantha then walked to Child A and Child B and told them to go back with the other group of children.

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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.

Ms. Jega Srikantha provided appropriate care and supervision when she was observed by other staff calmly talking with Child A after Child A hit Child B with a shovel.

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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.

Based on interviews with the licensee designee, child care staff members and parents there is insufficient evidence to conclude Ms. Jega became frustrated and slapped Child A.

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R 400.8140 · R 400.8140 Discipline. (2) All of the following means of punishment are prohibited: (d) Inflicting mental or emotional punishment, such as humiliating, shaming, or threatening a child. 7

A prohibited means of punishment was used when child care staff member Ms. Esther Kawamba inflicted mental and/or emotional punishment such as humiliation and threatening as a means to correct children's behaviors. When children are misbehaving, Ms. Kapila and Ms. Esther Kawamba ask children if they are babies, and if they want to go to the baby room.

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R 400.8170 · R 400.8170 Outdoor play area, (3) A center operating with children in attendance for 3 or more continuous hours per day shall provide daily outdoor play, unless prevented by inclement weather or other weather conditions that could result in children becoming overheated or excessively chilled. ................ ............. .....................................................................................................................................................

On 02/11/2022, Ms. Kapila said the child care center staff take the children outside to play when weather permits. The children went outside to play on 02/10/2022 because it was not too cold outside. The children do not go outside when it is raining, when the wind chill is low or when the heat index is extremely high. During the winter and snowy months, the children do not go outside when it is below 20°F. The children go outside at least once a day in the fall and winter months and at least twice a day in the spring and summer months. When parents do not bring appropriate snow clothing for their children such as snow pants, snow boots, hats and gloves, those children still go outside, however, they are not allowed to play in the snow. Child care staff members walk with those children in an area in the parking lot. The child care center does not provide snow clothing for children. Infants also go outside. Child care staff members walk with them in a stroller in the parking lot. When the children do not go outside due to inclement weather, child care staff members complete movement activities in the classrooms with the children such as dancing, yoga or playing a freeze game. She has not received any complaints from parents or child care staff members regarding the amount of time the children go outside to play. Ms. Cheema said she is a child care staff member in the prekindergarten/kindergarten room. She stated children go outside to play when weather permits. If the temperature is below 20°F or if it is raining, the children do not go outside. The children have physical activities if the weather does not permit outdoor play. The children do yoga and other exercises with a tunnel and cones. Parents do not always provide their children with appropriate snow clothing such as snow pants, snow boots, hats, and gloves, to go outside. When children do not have snow clothing, child care staff members walk 3 around the parking lot with them. The child care center does not provide snow clothing for children. The children go outside to play at least once a day during the fall and winter months and at least twice a day during the spring and summer months. She has not received any complaints from parents or child care staff members regarding the amount of time the children go outside to play. Ms. Estrella said she is a child care staff member in the senior preschool room. She stated children go outside to play when weather permits. For the last two weeks, the temperature has been under 20°F and the children have not gone outside to play. When the temperature is above 20°F and it is not raining, the children go outside to play at least once a day in the fall and winter months and at least twice a day during the spring and summer months. Parents do not always send their children to school with appropriate snow clothing such as snow pants, snow boots, hats, and gloves. When children do not have appropriate snow clothing, they walk around the parking lot with child care staff members. The children have movement activities such as yoga and dancing when there is inclement weather and they do not go outside to play. She has not received any complaints from parents or child care staff members regarding the amount of time the children go outside to play. On 02/11/2022, I observed the fenced playground. It was difficult to observe footprints in the snow because it was raining, and the snow was melting during the on-site inspection. On 02/15/2022, Child A and Child B's father said he knows the child care center takes the children outside to play because his daughter has told him when they have played in the snow. He has seen footprints in the snow around the playground. He has not seen them outside playing because of the times he picks his children up from child care. He sends his daughter to child care with snow pants, snow boots, hats, gloves. He does not want his children to go outside when it is too frigid. He especially does not want his two- mo

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