• Violation

  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 1/26/23, Child Care Staff Member 1 said she worked at the center for three weeks and was concerned about program director Amber Monette and special needs assistant Shannon Krowkowski being rough with children. She observed them pulling on children's arms when they are running in the room and trying to get them out when they are hiding under tables. She has also seen the staff tighten their legs around children who are sitting on the floor to trap them in place. The room is very chaotic. Children run, bite each other, throw objects and hit each other with books or other objects. Child Care Staff Member 1 said that during her time there she changed most of the diapers. She would do this by assisting three and four-year-olds while they were standing up which could be difficult. There is no place to change diapers. There is a pad to put on the floor but this is difficult to use because the bathroom is too small. Once, a child's food got thrown away. The food was provided but the child had spent a lot of time under the table and then the parents arrived to pick the child up. I informed Child Care Staff Member 1 that I would observe the diapering and snack time during my visit but that these concerns weren't rule violations. Older children can be changed standing up and don't require a designated diapering area. Food had been provided to the child but the child chose not to eat. Child Care Staff Member 1 said that she contacted center administrator Myra Smeester and center supervisor Aysha Koszla about her concerns. She told Ms. Smeester that on 1/23/23 and 1/24/23 there had been rough handling of children by Ms. Monette and Ms. Krowkowski. Ms. Smeester told her that she watches the camera surveillance for the center regularly and would view the cameras from those two days in particular. Ms. Koszla said that she would talk to Ms. Monette about her concerns and make a plan with her. After bringing this to her attention nothing improved. She asked Ms. Koszla about whether or not she should give her two week notice and was thinking about no longer working there. During her three weeks there, she had let the staff know that she couldn't come in once, due to her son being sick. On 1/31/23, I made an unannounced visit to the center. Child care staff members Ms. Monette, Ms. Krowkowski and Lauren Krause were present with nine children. Thirteen children are enrolled in this class and four children were absent that day. It was very 611 W. OTTAWA. P.O. BOX 30664. LANSING, MICHIGAN 48909 www.michigan.gov/lara . 517-335-1980 chaotic in the classroom. I observed child care staff members moving children by their wrists twice. It wasn't done in a forceful way but was done when they were trying to redirect children who were running. There were children running, throwing things and children under tables. One child ran up to me and punched me three times. Three of the children observed were disruptive. Ms. Monette said that the special needs assistant Ms. Krowkowski worked primarily with an autistic child who wasn't present that day. Ms. Krowkowski still works if this child isn't present and works with other children in the classroom as well. Five of the children enrolled have special needs. Some of them already have Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) with behavior plans and some of them are being observed by professionals for concerns. I observed children voluntarily going to the quiet area (the thinking area). Problems occurred when more than one child at a time went to this area because when two were in this area, those two children became more disruptive. Ms. Monette said that children have thrown toys and chairs and knocked over the furniture in the child kitchen area. I went into the bathroom where children are assisted with diapers or pull-ups. Ms. Monette said children are assisted standing up but there was a mat to lay on the floor if needed. When I tried to lay the mat on the floor, it didn't leave much space to close the door becaus

Child Care Staff Members Amber Monette and Shannon Krowkowski are rough with children and pull on their arms.

Disposition: Substantiated