Academy 4 Lil' Angels

R 400.8204(2)(b) · R 400.8204(2)(b) Early childhood center, small capacity child care center, and outdoor nature-based child care center program administrator qualifications; responsibilities. (2) All program administrators 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, a nd staff issues.

There is not enough evidence to substantiate that the Program Administrator is not available to staff a nd parents.

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R 400.8210(1) · R 400.8210(1) Lead Teacher; qualifications; responsibilities (1) Lead teachers are required only for groups of c hildren who are preschool-age and younger. 2 LANDMARK BUILDING • 105 W. ALLEGAN STREET • LANSING, MICHIGAN 48933 Michigan.gov/MiLEAP

There was a lead teacher in place, and the program is working to fill that vacancy. Children are in a different classroom where there is an approved lead t eacher.

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R 400.8204(4) · R 400.8204(4) Early childhood center, small capacity child care center, and outdoor nature-based child care center program administrator qualifications; responsibilities. (4) A program administrator of a single site shall appoint a staff-in-charge when the program administrator is not on the premises and is responsible for supervising the operation of the center including, but not limited to, having the authority to respond to emergencies, inspections, parental concerns, and have access to all required i nformation.

The staff-in-charge did not have the authority to allow me access to the center on 12/18/2025 for my investigation. The staff-in-charge was not able to get me requested documents until the PA arrived.

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R 400.8222(13) · R 400.8222(13) Capacity; ratio and group size requirements (13) Written approval from the department must be obtained before making any changes in the terms of the license, including, but not limited to, adding use 3 LANDMARK BUILDING • 105 W. ALLEGAN STREET • LANSING, MICHIGAN 48933 Michigan.gov/MiLEAP space, changing age groups served, changing program components, changing the capacity of the center, or making changes to a room or well-defined space that will result in a change in capacity of the r oom or well-defined space. Bureau

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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. 4

On 09/29/2022, I interviewed Complainant 1 by telephone. Complainant 1 stated that Child Care Staff member 1 and Child Care Staff member 2 would use their nails as a form of discipline. They would use their nails on the back of the children's hands to get them to stop doing whatever behavior they were exhibiting at the time. Specific dates and times were not provided when this would occur. I interviewed Complainant 2 by telephone on 09/29/2022. Complainant 2 stated Child Care Staff member 2 has "fake nails" and would use them on Child A as she had a history of being a biter. Child Care Staff member 2 approximately a week ago used her nails on Child A which resulted in Child A crying out. Child Care Staff member was holding Child A at the time in her lap. She observed what appeared to be fingernail indents on her hand. Child Care Staff member 2 told her she did not know what happened. On 10/03/2022, I interviewed Mrs. Angie Mittleman, program director/licensee designee, Child Care Staff member 1, Child Care Staff Member 2, Child Care Staff member 3, Child Care Staff member 4, and Child Care Staff member 5. Mrs. Mittleman stated she was not aware of any instances of a child being injured by Child Care Staff member 1 and Child Care Staff member 2 or that any inappropriate discipline is being used. There have been no parents that have reported concerns that children have come home with unexplained marks or scratches. I interviewed Child Care Staff member 1. Child Care Staff member 1 stated she has never used her fingernails to harm or hurt a child for discipline. She has not witnessed any of the child care staff members in her classroom hurt a child in that manner. Child Care Staff member 1 would talk it out, redirect the children, explain why children should not do certain behaviors. If she would have observed someone using this method as discipline, she would have reported the matter. On 10/03/2022, I interviewed Child Care Staff member 2. Child Care Staff member 2 stated she currently works in the toddler room for the last few weeks. Child Care Staff member 2 has never used her nails to discipline a child. Child Care Staff 3 member 2 would usually separate the child from the behavior they were having, will talk to the children, reinforce the positive behavior, redirection, and deep breaths. She has not observed any other child care staff member used inappropriate discipline methods. I observed that Child Care Staff member had sharp pointed nails. I interviewed Child Care Staff member 3. Child Care Staff member 3 stated she works in the transition room. She has never observed any child care staff members use their fingernails to hurt a child. Child Care Staff member 3 has not observed Child Care Staff member 1 and Child Care Staff member 2 use their nails to discipline children. She will tell a child "No thank you," model good behavior, and to take deep breaths. Child Care Staff member 3 has not observed any marks, scratches, or bruises on children. I interviewed Child Care Staff member 4. Child Care Staff member 4 stated she only been working at the center for a few months. Child Care Staff member 4 sometimes will work in the toddler room and has never observed any of the child care staff members used inappropriate discipline towards the children. She has never observed child care staff members use their fingernails to harm children. I interviewed Child Care Staff member 5. Child Care Staff member 5 stated she has never observed child care staff members use inappropriate discipline towards the children. She has not observed staff using their nails on the children. On 10/17/2022 and 10/31/2022, I attempted to contact Child A's Mother by telephone without any success. On 11/30/2022, I interviewed Child B's Mother by telephone. Child B's Mother stated she did not have any concerns about the care Child B's receives at the center. Child B's Mother is happy with the care. I interviewed Child C's Mother on 11/30/2022, by telephone. Ch

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R 400.8170 · 1 R 400.8170 Outdoor play area. (6) There must be a shaded area to protect children from excessive sun exposure, when necessary. I

I interviewed Complainant 1 by telephone on 9/29/2022. Complainant 1 stated between July and September of 2022 when the weather was warmer, children would become hot, there was no shade for the children and to cool the children they would use spray bottles with water to keep them cool. I asked if this was an issue occurring in the summer primarily why concerns were not raised at that the time. Complainant 1 did not know who to report this information to. Outside toys for the children were broken and balls were deflated. On 09/29/2022, I interviewed Complainant 2 by telephone. Complainant 2 stated that the biggest concern during the summer was keeping the children cool when outside and not enough shade. Child care staff members did not take water outside with them but would spray children with water from a spray bottle. I asked why child care staff members did not get water when needed. Complainant 2 did not feel that staff could leave the children. On 10/03/2022, I interviewed Mrs. Angie Mittleman, program director/licensee designee, Child Care Staff member 1, Child Care Staff Member 2, Child Care Staff member 3, Child Care Staff member 4, and Child Care Staff member 5. Mrs. Mittleman stated that there was a large blue water jug on wheels available and was used for when children went outside to play. Spray bottles were used during the summer, but it was not in lieu of children actually having access to water. Staff also had the ability to obtain water from the classrooms if needed. There are shaded areas in the play area for the children. Children would not be allowed to go outside if the weather were extremely hot. There plenty of toys for the children to play with outside. She keeps a cabinet just for outside play. Child Care Staff members are aware that if the balls or any toy is broken, they care to remove the toy. She typically has an air pump for the balls as they do go soft sometimes. 5 I observed the outside play area with Mrs. Mittleman. The outside play area has playground equipment, riding toys, balls, and other play items. I did observe a few balls that were deflated. Mrs. Mittleman would have the balls inflated as soon as possible. I did not observe any broken toys in the play area. I interviewed Child Care Staff member 1. Child Care Staff member 1 stated children had access to water during outside play. There was a water jug available for the children from which to drink water. A water spray bottle was used but the spray bottle was used for the children to play and not for a substitute for access to water. There were toys for the children to play with outside. Sometimes the balls would deflate but they just needed to tell someone in the front office to fix them. If a toy was broken by a child, it is removed from play. There was shade for the children when outside. I interviewed Child Care Staff member 2. Child Care Staff member 2 stated she was not aware of any issues with children not having access to water when outside playing. They have a water cooler or pitcher of water for the children to drink. There is a lot of equipment outside for the children to play with and if they leave balls outside; after a couple of days they will deflate, they will just bring them in to inflate them again. Never was a problem with the outside not having a shaded area for the children. I interviewed Child Care Staff member 3. Child Care Staff member 3 stated there is a water pitcher that is taken outside and left on the table for children to have access to water. There is a spray bottle that is used in addition to sunscreen to keep the children cool and safe when it is hot outside. The children always have enough play equipment to use when outside. She did not recall there being an issue with children not having shaded areas on the outside play area. I interviewed Child Care Staff member 4. Child Care Staff member 4 stated there is always water outside for the children to use. There was never a time when the spray bottle was used

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R 400.8173 · R 400.8173 Equipment. (4) Play equipment, materials, and furniture, must be all of the following: (b) Safe, clean, and in good repair.

On 09/29/2023, I interviewed Complainant 1 by telephone. Complainant 1 stated children's beddings are not changed if they are soiled or dirty. On 09/29/2023, I interviewed Complainant 2 by telephone. Complainant 2 stated children's beddings are not change as they should when the bedding becomes dirty. On 10/03/2022, I interviewed Mrs. Angie Mittleman, program director/licensee designee, Child Care Staff member 1, Child Care Staff Member 2, Child Care Staff member 3, Child Care Staff member 4, and Child Care Staff member 5. Mrs. Mittleman stated the children do not use soiled or stained beddings by other children. The center has access to clean bedding if an accident occurs. Child Care Staff members should know to change out any sheet that is not appropriate for use. I interviewed Child Care Staff member 1. Child Care Staff member 1 stated there has never been an issue with children having clean sheets. She is unaware of any time the bedding is not clean for children use. I interviewed Child Care Staff member 2. Child Care Staff member 2 stated new sheets are used for children. If a child is transitioned into another room during nap time new bedding is used. A child will never use someone else's sheets. I interviewed Child Care Staff member 3. Child Care Staff member 3 stated bedding is washed once a week but more often if the bedding becomes soiled. She does not know of a time when children have used soiled sheets. I interviewed Child Care Staff member 4. Child Care Staff member 4 stated if bedding becomes dirty or soiled the bedding is removed immediately. Children always use clean sheet during nap time. I interviewed Child Care Staff member 5. Child Care Staff member 5 stated every week bedding is change and cleaned. If bedding becomes soiled prior to the wash day, then the bedding is change right away. Children do not share bedding. On 03/23/2023, I completed the exit conference by email to Mrs. Mittleman. I informed her there was no violations being cited in the investigation and she would receive a copy of the report once approved.

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R 400.8330 · R 400.8330 Food services and nutrition generally. (6) A center shall make water available to drink throughout the day to children 1 year of age and older.

Center made water available for children to drink.

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R 400.8176 · R 400.8176 Sleeping equipment. (16) All sleeping equipment and bedding must be washed, rinsed, and sanitized when soiled, between uses by different children, and at least once a week regardless of use by different children.

There is not enough evidence to support that childrens' bedding is not being cleaned as needed and required.

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