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Pulling inspections, violations, and complaints.
Home › MI › Grand Rapids › Grand Rapids Christian Elementary School
1050 Iroquois Drive Southeast, Grand Rapids MI 49506 · License #DC410309089 · Center · Center
Not published by the state. Owners can add hours via profile claim.
When they operate
Ages served
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.
Appropriate Care and Supervision was not provided when Child A was left unsupervised his classroom while the rest of his class was outside on the playground. The child care staff members responsible for the supervision of Child A did not know they left him behind. New Rule 400. 8213(1)(a)
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.
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 12/16/2021, I exchanged emails with Child A's Mother. She informed me that the school was on break until 2022. On 12/20/2021, I spoke with LeeAnn Bastien, clinical consultant from the Keep Early Education Positive (KEEP) program at Arbor Circle. Ms. Bastien explained that on 12/16/21, when she arrived at the school, she saw Child A in an office with two adults. Child A was screaming "I want out, I want out" and was on the table. One adult was holding the door shut and one was closer to Child A. Ms. Bastien contacted Child A's Mother to tell her to come pick Child A up because she did not think that Child A felt safe. Child A was shaking, and she could see in her eyes that she did not feel safe and as a parent she did not think Child A felt safe. Ms. Bastien reported that Child A was diagnosed with selective mutism and there was an Individualized Education Program (IEP) written for her. Ms. Bastien said that she did not think the school was meeting Child A's needs. They were sending her home when her behavior was dysregulated and isolating her in the office even after Child A's Mother asked them not to. In the classroom, Child A would get upset and 3 anxious. Ms. Bastien provided tools and techniques for the child care staff members (CCSM)s to use with Child A but she has not seen them being used or the school has told her that Child A does not want them. Child A has a stuffed animal that she uses for comfort, but the school would make her keep it in her locker. On 1/04/2022, I completed an on-site inspection and spoke with the school's principal and CCSM John Barkel about the investigation. Mr. Barkel reported that the school did not have a copy of Child A's (IEP) on file. He confirmed that a "cool down" room was being used for Child A when she was exhibiting behaviors like punching, kicking, hitting, and biting. Child A was being removed from the classroom when her behavior was out of control. Child A sometimes returned to the classroom after she calmed down but other times her mother was asked to come pick her up. He said that Child A's Mother requested that the room no longer be used with Child A. Mr. Barkel explained that the "cool down" room is used for children preschool aged 4th through grade when they are experiencing sensory overload type of issues. The room is a conference room that has nothing in it that children can throw or jump off. Mr. Barkel explained that Child A had been in his office to calm down before, but she threw anything within reach and cleared all the items off his desk and shelves. Mr. Barkel reported that the school had referred Child A to the Keep Early Education Positive (KEEP) program at Arbor Circle and LeeAnn Bastien was the therapist working with them. On 12/14/2021, Ms. Bastien came to see Child A and Mr. Barkel took her to CCSM Michelle Ogdahl's office where Child A was with Ms. Ogdahl and center director Kristin Vanden Bosch. Ms. Ogdahl and Ms. Vanden Bosch were in the office with Child A and neither of them were holding the door closed. Ms. Bastien provided them with tools to use with Child A but they either did not work with her or it was too late to use them. Ms. Bastien struggled with Child A's behaviors when she was in the "cool down" room too. Child A's behavior was the worst that day and she was hurting the CCSMs. Child A started attending preschool at the school in August. Her behavior issues started in October. At the time of enrollment, Child A's Mother reported that Child A had a diagnosis of selective mutism and later that Child A had behavior problems. Mr. Barkel explained that Child A was hitting children unprovoked, and they were not able to predict her behavior because her triggers were unknown to them. Mr. Barkel reported that psychologist Dr. Becky Thomson came to the school to do a training for them on how to work with Child A and had a zoom call to follow up. I interviewed Basti Marquez who is a CCSM and the lead caregiver for Child A's classroom. She said that Child
Disposition: Substantiated
Child care staff members are putting Child A (female, 4 years old) into a "cool down" room after she has behavior problems in the classroom. Child A has anxiety and Child A's Mother requested that they stop putting the child in the "cool down" room. On 12/16/2021, two child care staff members were seen holding the door of the room so that Child A could not get out.
Disposition: Substantiated
Child A (male, 4 years old) reported to his mother that he was wrestling with another child and a teacher told him to stop and pulled on his penis.
Disposition: Substantiated
Generated from this facility's specific inspection record
Data synced from Michigan MiLEAP, Child Care Licensing Bureau on Jul 9, 2026 · Source records · Report an error
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: (h) Confining a child in an enclosed area, such as a closet, locked room, box, or similar enclosure.
Child A was put in a "cool down" room by herself as a form of punishment when she exhibited aggressive behaviors.
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Open / not marked corrected.
R 400.8179 · R 400.8179 Program. (12) For children with special needs, care must be provided according to the child's needs as identified by parents, medical personnel, or other relevant professionals.
Child A was not provided with care according to her needs as identified by her mother and other professionals.
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: recordkeeping. Open / not marked corrected.
R 400.8167 · 1 R 400.8167 Indoor space. (3) A center shall provide a floor plan of all child use areas to the department at initial licensure and before making structural changes or adding any child use space. Only space that has received prior approval for child use by the department may be used for child care.
The "cool down" room and other offices were used for Child A and were not approved child use spaces.
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: physical safety. Open / not marked corrected.
R 400.8113(3)(b) · R 400.8113(3)(b) Program director qualifications; responsibilities. (3) All program directors are responsible for the general management of the center, including the following minimum responsibilities: (b) Administering day-to-day operations, including being available to address parent, child, and staff issues.
Kristin VandenBosch is the approved program director and was not involved in the planning, communication and care issues related to Child A.
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: ratio. 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 05/11/2021, I spoke with program director/licensee designee Michelle Ogdahl about the allegations. Mrs. Ogdahl explained that Child A's Mother emailed the school's principal, John Barkel, on 05/06/2021 and requested to meet with them to discuss an incident. Mrs. Ogdahl reported that during their meeting, Child A's Mother reported that Child A said that he was wrestling with a friend in the rain garden and a staff member told them to stop, grabbed his private parts and said if they did not listen, she would do it again. Child A later identified as Child Care Staff Member 1 (CCSM) as the one who grabbed him. I contacted Child A's Mother via telephone. She explained that Mr. Barkel spoke with Child A in the hallway on 05/07/2021 after she had given him permission to in their meeting with the condition that he would record it. She found out that Mr. Barkel did not record it and she is upset about it. Mr. Barkel asked him what happened and he pointed to CCSM1's classroom. Mr. Barkel asked him if he made up stories. CCSM2 was present with Mr. Barkel when he spoke with Child A. Child A's Mother was contacted by Grand Rapids Police Department Detective Bouma who scheduled a forensic interview scheduled with the Children's Advocacy Center of Kent County (CAC) for 05/17/2021. On 05/11/2021, I received a phone call from Mr. Barkel. Mr. Barkel explained that he was not trying to impede the investigation by speaking with Child A and was not thinking that this was something licensing would investigate. Rather, he was trying to assess what may have happened because he knew that CCSM1 did not have contact with Child A in the rain garden. He explained that CCSM1 and Child A do not 3 have contact with each other so he was trying to figure out why Child A would have made the allegation. Mandated reporter requirements were reviewed. I also received a phone call from CCSM1 and I explained the investigation process to her. CCSM1 denied the allegations and asked questions about the investigation. CCSM1 appeared to be very distressed by the accusation. I tried to reassure her that the investigation process would be thorough and fair and that a preponderance of evidence would be needed in order to support a finding that the allegation was true. On 05/27/2021, I observed Child A's forensic interview at the Children's Advocacy Center of Kent County. Department of Human Services (DHHS) worker Britney Morales, Detective Bouma, Child A's Mother, Child A's Father and CAC interviewer Augustena Baar met prior to the interview. Child A's Mother explained to the group that her son told her that CCSM1 "touched his pee pee" as he was getting out of the shower and she told him to put lotion on. He asked her to put lotion on his penis and she told him that no one is supposed to touch his penis. Child A's Mother asked Child A additional questions about what happened. Child A told her that he was with Child B when CCSM1 touched his penis. He said that they were in the rain garden, he was wrestling with Child B (male, 4 years old) and CCSM1 told them to stop and pulled his penis as discipline. Child A's Mother then called Child B's Mother who told her that Child B had recently told her that "his pee pee was ouch." Child A's Mother met with CCSM3 and Mr. Barkel and was told that CCSM1 was never with Child A and was not in the rain garden area when Child A was. Mr. Barkel followed up with her after he spoke with Child A and said that it slipped his mind to record it. Mr. Barkel also told her that he asked Child A if he made up stories and if this was a story that he made up. Child A said that it was. Child A's Mother showed Child A a picture of the rain garden area and of CCSM1. When viewing both pictures, Child A said, "CCSM1 touched my pee pee." Child A's Mother said that this was the second year Child A attended the center and this was the first time he ever mentioned CCSM1. During the forensic interview conducted by Ms. Baar, Child A did not disclose that CCSM1 t
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.
R 400.8140 · ........................................ I 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. (b) Placing any substances in a child's mouth, including but not limited to, soap, hot sauce, or vinegar. (c) Restricting a child's movement by binding or tying him or her. (d) Inflicting mental or emotional punishment, such as humiliating, shaming, or threatening a child. (e) Depriving a child of meals, snacks, rest, or necessary toilet use. (f) Excluding a child from outdoor play or other gross motor activities. 7 (g) Excluding a child from daily learning experiences. (h) Confining a child in an enclosed area, such as a closet, locked room, box, or similar enclosure. (i) Time out must not be used for children under 3 years of age.
Appropriate discipline is used by the center.
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: nutrition. Open / not marked corrected.