Mt Morris Head Start - Pinehurst

R 400.8140 · R 400.8140 Discipline. (2) All of the following means of punishment are prohibited: 4 (a) Hitting, spanking, shaking, biting, pinching, or inflicting other forms of corporal punishment.

On 10/15/2021, I spoke with Complainant 1 who indicated that on 10/11/2021 Ms. Looman grabbed Child A with one hand by the lower arm and physically picked Child A up off the ground. This also occurred with two other children, however, the identity of each of the children is unknown. Moments later while transitioning inside, Ms. Looman was hold Child B by the arm and Child B threw her own body onto the ground. Ms. Looman let go of Child B as she fell to the ground. Ms. Looman then reached down to Child B's arm and pulled her body up onto her feet. On 10/12/2021 the Head Start 1 classroom was outside by the shed. A toddler walked up to another child (children unknown) that was playing in a cozy coupe car. Ms. Looman ran over to the toddler and grabbed the child with one hand by the child's wrist. Ms. Looman picked the child up approximately one to two inches off the ground turned the child's body and swung the child around landing onto the child's feet. The child continued on his way and did not appear to be upset by the incident. On 10/20/2021, during an unannounced onsite inspection I spoke with Ms. Carpenter and Ms. Breedlove-Vaughn with the Head Start Program in Unit # 2, regarding the allegation. Both Ms. Carpenter and Ms. Breedlove-Vaughn indicated that they are never outside on the playground when the other Head Start (Unit #1) classroom is outdoors and they have never witnessed either Ms. Katie Looman or Ms. Raquel Abram mistreating any of the children as they are transitioning from indoors to the outdoors. (The Head Start classrooms are both located in mobile units outside of the school. They are set up so that the windows face another mobile unit and the outside play area is not visible from the Head Start mobile units). On 10/20/2021, during the onsite inspection I spoke with Ms. Katie Looman and she denied that she has ever used any physical discipline or inappropriately handled any children in the classroom. She denied that she has ever witnessed Ms. Abram use any inappropriate discipline or mishandled any children in the classroom. On 10/20/2021, during the onsite inspection I spoke with Ms. Raquel Abram and she denied that she has ever used physical discipline with the children or inappropriately handled any children. She denied that she has ever witnessed Ms. Looman use inappropriate discipline or mishandled any children either. On 10/20/2021, during the onsite inspection I spoke with Debi Fagan, Education Coordinator for Head Start, regarding the allegation and she denied that she has ever witnessed with Ms. Looman or Ms. Abram use any physical discipline on the children or mishandle any children. She did indicate that the classroom has many 3 active children, who attempt to run away, bite, hit and/or fall to the ground for attention. They are currently searching for an additional aide for the classroom. On 10/20/2021, I spoke with Complainant 2 who indicated that on 10/11/2021 Ms. Looman grabbed a child (unknown) by one arm and lifted the child off the ground. She did not report any other incidents with Ms. Looman or Ms. Abram. On 10/20/2021, I spoke with Complainant 3 who indicated that on 10/11/2021 Ms. Looman grabbed a child (unknown) by his shirt and lifted him off the ground (he was laying on the ground on his stomach) "like she was lifting a sack of potatoes" and set him back on the ground on his feet. Ms. Looman has also tugged and pulled on the children's arms. On 10/21/2021, I spoke with Ms. Kathy Lintz, principal of Pinehurst Elementary School regarding the allegation and requested to view the video from the playground area where the Head Start classrooms have their outdoor play time. Ms. Lintz allowed me to view the video recording of the Head Start playground area during their recess on the morning of 10/11/2021. Ms. Lintz viewed the video with me and we both agreed that there were no incidents of inappropriate care and supervision or discipline by either Ms. Looman or Ms. Fagan. Unfortunately, the