Walnut Lake Preschool

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

On 04/05/2023 I received an incident report stating that on 04/04/2023, Child A's father picked Child A up from the center at 1:00pm and then dropped Child A back off at the center at 3:00pm. Child Care Staff Member (CCSM) A observed Child A walking down the hall in the direction of his classroom. When Child A's father arrived back at the center at 4:00pm, it was discovered that Child A had walked out the backdoor to the playground area instead of walking to his classroom. The exit doors self-lock, so Child A was unable to reenter the center after going outside. When staff members found Child A outside at 4:00pm, Child A was upset and asked, "Why didn't you guys let me in?" On 04/05/203, I spoke with CCSM-A via telephone. CCSM-A stated that she had spoken to both Child A's father and Child A's mother and notified them of the 2 incident. CCSM-A informed me that they have video cameras located in the back of the building that face the playground area. CCSM-A stated that they have footage from 04/04/2023 showing the time that Child A spent outside. On 04/11/2023 I conducted an unannounced on-site inspection. I interviewed CCSM-A, Madeline Japer (program director/licensee designee), CCSM-B, and CCSM-C. Interviews were conducted privately in the front office. CCSM-A stated that Child A is in the developmental kindergarten class. On 04/04/2023, Child A was picked up by Child A's father and taken to an appointment. At approximately 3:00pm, Child A's father brought him back to the center. CCSM-A said that she opened the front door and started to speak to Child A's father. CCSM- A watched as Child A walked down the hallway towards his classroom. The hallway has two classrooms located off it, while the end of the hallway leads to the door that opens to the center's fenced outdoor playground. Once Child A walked down the hallway towards his classroom, CCSM-A stepped outside the front door to continue her conversation with Child A's father. After a few minutes, Child A's father left, and CCSM-A came back into the building, signed Child A in, and returned to the front office. Parents typically begin to line up outside to pick up their children around 4:00pm at the end of the day. As a matter of course, staff members lead all the children to their waiting parents at the entrance of the center. Child A was not escorted by staff to his father at pick up time as he was not in his assigned room. All staff members, including CCSM-A, began to search the center. Child A was eventually found outside in the fenced playground area. CCSM-A stated that Child A seemed angry and frustrated but was not crying. CCSM-A stated that she pulled up the video camera and it showed that Child A walked out the back door at 3:04pm and was found at 4:03pm. CCSM-A provided me with access to the video recording. Child A was outside for 59 minutes. During that time, Child A can be seen walking back and forth between the two doors which lead into the building. Child A was knocking on the door and repeatedly trying to open the doors by turning the doorknobs. While on-site I walked down the hallway towards the developmental kindergarten classroom. This is a short hallway which has only two classrooms located off it. The first classroom is the preK classroom and next to it is the developmental kindergarten classroom. The exit door leading to the outdoor playground is within a few feet of the developmental kindergarten classroom. At the time of my inspection, the developmental kindergarten door was closed so no one would have been able to see if a child passed by the room and out the exit door. I also observed the outdoor playground, which is fully fenced. There are two doors that lead back into the building, one located next to the developmental kindergarten classroom and one that leads into the sensory room. Both doors automatically lock when closed. The windows in the building are placed approximately 5 feet off the ground, so a smaller 3 child would not be able to look i

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