Greenwood Kidz Korner

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.

On May 18, 2021, Administrator Jessa Panichella self-reported an incident at Greenwood School Age Program for License Designee Kathryn Newman. Ms. Panichella explained that at the end of the program on May 14, 2021, around 5:30pm, Child A asked to go the bathroom. Child Care Staff Members, Kim Ader and Christina Morrisette watched him go to the bathroom by himself. When he left the bathroom, Child A left the building to go pick flowers on the playground. He was found a few minutes later by two teenage boys names unknown. On May 27, 2021, I conducted an unannounced inspection at Greenwood Elementary. I briefly spoke with Program Director Sara Dobbelaer about my presence in the building. I then found Child Care Staff Member and site supervisor Kim Ader. Ms. Ader has been with the Lakeview school district for over a year but has over 20 years of child care experience. We went over the events that happened on May 14, 2021. Ms. Ader stated that Child A was the last child let in the program at 5:30pm. Ms. Ader and Child A were in the gym when he asked to use the bathroom. Ms. Ader was cleaning up the gym at the time. Since Ms. Ader knew that Ms. Morrisette was at the front door near the bathroom waiting for a parent, she told Child A to go ahead to the bathroom. She stated she thought Ms. Morrisette would see him and take over supervision. The next thing she remembered is Ms. Morrisette telling her that two teenagers had brought Child A to the front door saying they found him on the playground. Ms. Morrisette told her that Child A's Mother arrived at around the same time, and she (Child A's Mother) was told what had happened. Ms. Ader stated that Child A has been back in the program since the incident. After her explanation I asked if it was routine to send a 5-year-old to the bathroom by themselves. She had not thought about it at that time because Ms. Morrisette was near the bathroom door. I asked Ms. Ader if she contacted Ms. Morrisette to let her know she needed to watch Child A and Ms. Ader said "no." Ms. Ader said that she informed Ms. Dobbelaer the same night about the incident and Ms. Panichella the following week since it was 6pm on a Friday night. I then interviewed Child Care Staff Member (CCSM) Christina Morrisette. Ms. Morrisette is a new staff member to the school district. 3 She stated that she saw Child A exit the gym and head to the bathroom around 5:30pm on May 14, 2021. She did not see him enter the bathroom because she was speaking with a parent and child at the front door with her back to the bathroom door. She had assumed he went to the bathroom. A few minutes later she was still at the front door when two teenage boys walked up with Child A. They told her they found Child A on the playground not knowing how to get back into the building, so they brought him to the front door. Child A did not appear upset, and his mother was walking up at around the same time to pick him up. Ms. Morrisette did not get the names of the two male teenagers who brought Child A back. She also did not know how long Child A was outside by himself. I spoke again with Ms. Ader about a new system, starting with the next school year, about age requirements when leaving direct supervision to use a bathroom or go to another child care approved area. On 6/22/21 I spoke with Child A's Mother over the telephone. She stated that Child A went to the after-school program rarely. She was very concerned and upset that the CCSMs allowed a 5-year-old to go the bathroom by himself in a building he was still learning. She was told that night what had happened. Prior to this incident she did not have any concerns. She wanted to have Child A attend the morning school-aged program but is now unsure due to safety concerns. I suggested that she speak with Principal (Program Director) Ms. Dobbelaer about safety plans put in place during the morning program.

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