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Pulling inspections, violations, and complaints.
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Pulling inspections, violations, and complaints.
Home › MI › Petoskey › Little Northmen Preschool
871 Kalamazoo Ave, Petoskey MI 49770 · License #DC240406693 · Center · Center
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R 400.8125 · 1 R 400.8125 Staff; volunteer; requirements. (1) All staff and volunteers shall provide appropriate care and supervision of children at all times. 11
On 05/0112023 and I conducted an onsite investigation at e Little Northmen preschool program located in the Ottawa Elementary School building, met us at the school. He provided ac group information regarding his investigation of the allegations and indicated that he would send video recordings showing Child A and staff members in the hallway on 04/24/2023. During the onsite inspection, , and I spoke with Ms. Becky Smith about the allegations. Ms. Smith Pied herself as the Director of Teaching and Learning for the school district, and the person responsible for overseeing the preschool program. Child A attends the preschool classroom under the supervision of program director and lead caregiver Ms. Lisa Oehring. Child care staff member (CCSM) 1; CCSM 2, Witness 1, Witness 2, and Witness 3 also either work or volunteer with children in Child As preschool classroom. Ms. Smith was aware of the allegations because Child A's Mother brought it to the attention of preschool staff and district administrators on 04/27/2023. During an internal investigation of the 3 allegations, Ms. Oehring, CCSM 1, CCSM 2, and intermediate school district ISD staff, Witness 1, Witness 2, and Witness 3 were questioned about Child A's They all described a recent incident that took place on 04/24/203 where Child A eloped from the room, meaning that he left the room without permission. ISD staff intervened and helped him deescalate. The only marks on Child A that Ms. Smith knew of were those shown in photos taken by Child A's Mother that appeared to be . The marks looked like they might have been from the straps "Oa ar seat, rather an as alleged. After conducting"teinternal investigation, there was no indication that the marks on Child A occurred while he was at school. Since spring break, there has been an increase in unsafe behaviors from Child A that include hitting, kicking, screaming, and acting in a violent manner toward staff and sometimes other children. Ms. Oehring and ISD staff have been working on strategies to support Child A during his meltdowns and have met with Child A's Mother about those supports as well. Ms. Smith conducts Ms. Oehring's performance evaluations. She identified Ms. Oehring as an outstanding teacher with no write ups or reprimands on file. During the onsite inspection on 05/01/2023, and I observed Child A during choice time in the preschool classroom. Ms. Oehring, CCSM 1, and CCSM 2 were present in the classroom during the observation. There was a tent set up in the area of the room over by the cubbies. The tent was described as a safe space where Child A could go to calm down and regroup if he was overwhelmed. Shortly after arriving in the room, we observed Child A playing under a blanket fort with two other children. One child said, "Stop!" Ms. Oehring went over to the group of children. I observed the blanket fort moving from underneath as Ms. Oehring spoke too quietly to be overheard. She then calmly removed Child A from the area. She and CCSM 2 spoke about implementing their plan. and I discussed our confusion about what we witnessed because Child A's behavior did not appear to be extreme, dangerous, or overly disruptive. Ms. Oehring told Child A they were taking him to the safe space. He resisted by making his body go limp, so Ms. Oehring place his feet on top of hers in front of her body, held his hands, and calmly walked him out the door into the hallway and down to the library followed by CCSM 2. I followed behind a few moments later. CCSM 2 removed two rolling carts from a small room off of the library called the Atrium while Ms. Oehring ushered Child A into the room. The Atrium has two large interior windows looking into the library, and two large windows overlooking the playground. Ms. Oehring and CCSM 2 observed Child A from the library space as he played quietly with small figurines on the floor by himself. Child A continued to play quietly in the room in what appeared to be a deescalated state. CCSM 2 indicated
An unknown child care staff member. Child A on _ -On 0412412023, Child A came home from school w . It Is not known what
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: (a) Hitting, spanking, shaking, biting, pinching, or inflicting other forms of corporal punishment
Ms. Oehring and child care staff members do not use prohibited means of discipline with children such as Child A stated that no one has him at school. None of the staff members or witnesses who were interviewed have seen staff members _, children.
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Open / not marked corrected.
R 400.8110 · .......................... ......................... R 400.8110 Applicant; licensee; licensee designee; requirements. ........................ (9) Within 5 business days, the licensee shall notify the department of the separation of a licensee designee, program director, or a central administrator approved under R 400.8113(12), and a plan for replacement of the individual.
The licensee did not notify the department of the separation of a licensee designee, program director, or a central administrator approved under R 400.8113(12), with a plan for replacement of the individual. Ms. Rebecca Smith began acting as a licensee *desi nee LD) when the previous LD and central administrator left employment in November of 2022. The ee did not notify the department of separation. No licensee designee was named, or available to speak on behalf of the licensee until May 11, 2023. also acted as the central administrator of the preschool program. Ms. Smith was not approved as the new central administrator until May 18, 2023, when she submitted her credentials to the department.
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: ratio. Open / not marked corrected.
MCL 722.115n Application for or renewal of license to operate child care center... child care staff member; criminal history check; requirements; duties of department. (1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (13), ...before a child care center... allows an individual to become a child care staff member... the department shall do all of the following: (a) Review its database of individuals with previous disciplinary action within a child care center, group child care home, or family child care home or an adult foster care facility. (b) Conduct a search of the individual through the national sex offender registry. (c) Request a search of the individual through all state criminal registries or repositories for any states of residence in the past 5 years. (d) Request that the department of state police perform a criminal history check on the individual, child care staff member, or adult member of the household. 14 IlFIJI provided • • Y f and of • •morning • . • • •: • i • • • ':]I i :1* ' ITr &ili ! ` • • • f • r ! f ` • f' •I t • f f' f !• f• • f ! A: X1'1: i ~' • • •' I •• • W trauma and child maltreatment, and recognition and reporting of child abuse and neglect.
Licensee designee Ms. Smith and program director Ms. Oehring did not ensure that all child care staff members and unsupervised volunteers working directly with children were trained on prevention of shaken baby syndrome before caring for children. Witness 1 acted as a child care staff member when she had unsupervised access to Child A. Witness 1 did not complete training on prevention of shaken baby syndrome as required. I
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.
R 400.8131 · R 400.8131 Professional development requirements. (4) Before unsupervised contact with children, all child care staff members who work directly with children shall complete prevention and control of infectious disease training, including immunizations.
Licensee designee Ms. Smith and program director Ms. Oehring did not ensure that all child care staff members working directly with children completed training on immunizations as required. caring for children. Witness 1 acted as a child care staff member when she had unsupervised access to Child A. Witness 1 did not complete training on immunizations as required.
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.
R 400.8167 · 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. 16
Ms. Oehring did not ensure that department approval was obtained prior to using space for child care. On 04/24/2023 school's office as child care space for Child A. On 05/01/2023, the Atrium room off of the library was used as child care space for Child A. Neither the office, nor the Atrium were approved for child care use prior to Child A using them.
Open Not marked corrected in the state record
Category: physical safety. Open / not marked corrected.