Early Explorers Academy

R 400.8125(1) · R 400.8125(1) Staff; volunteer; requirements. All staff and volunteers shall provide appropriate care and supervision of children at all times.

According to Ms. Saleh, CCSM1, and CCSM2, Child A was never unsupervised and was not excluded from activities due to race or disability.

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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 7/5/23, Ms. Saleh called the bureau to report the incident of Child A having access to a vape in the mobile infants' classroom. She said that CCSM 1 had a vape in her jacket pocket when she went into the classroom, and Child A grabbed the vape and put it in her mouth, causing the vape to be lit and create smoke in Child A's mouth. Ms. Saleh called Child A's parents about the incident and terminated CCSM 1 from employment. Ms. Saleh said that she would watch the video of the incident and send a detailed incident report about the same. Ms. Saleh said that there is a posting at the center stating that there is no vaping, and it is stated in the employee handbook that there is no smoking or vaping on the premises. After this incident, Ms. Saleh stated that she would work on adding the language in the employee handbook about not bringing any paraphernalia for smoking or vaping into the building. On 7/6/23, I received an incident report stating that on 7/5/23 at 3:28 pm, CCSM 1 was changing a child's diaper on the changing table. She had removed her jacket and draped it over the slide in the classroom. Child B dragged the jacket across the floor. She then picks it up and swings it around. The vape pen is flung from the jacket. The same child picks it up and holds it high to show the staff member. Child A reaches over, grabs it from the other child and runs around the classroom holding the vape in her hand. Child A is then out of the camera view for ten seconds when she walks to the door. She returns to camera view and walks to stand behind CCSM 1's legs while CCSM 1 is still changing the diaper. CCSM 2 comes into the room to 3 deliver art materials and sees Child A holding a vape in her mouth, with smoke coming out. CCSM 2 immediately removes the vape from Child A and puts it on the countertop away from the children. CCSM 2 notified Ms. Saleh about the incident. On 7/11/23 and 7/13/23, I left a voicemail message for CCSM 1 but did not receive a return call. On 7/12/23, I conducted an unannounced onsite inspection at the center. I reviewed the video of the incident that occurred on 7/5/23. The events on the video were as follows: 1. CCSM 1 came into the mobile infants' classroom, removed her jacket and draped over the little slide. 2. CCSM 1 picked up a toddler and took the child to the diapering table and started to change the child's diaper. 3. Child B went to the jacket, pulled the jacket down from the slide and flung it to the floor. The vape fell out of the pocket. 4. Child B took the vape and brought it to CCSM 1, holding it high and showing it to CCSM 1. 5. CCSM 1 was busy changing the diaper and did not pay attention to this. There were three children in the classroom, and CCSM 1 was the only staff member (the classroom was in ratio as per licensing requirements). One child was on the diapering table and the other children, Child A and Child B, were engaged with the vape. It appears that CCSM 1 did not keep an eye on the other two children while changing the diaper. CCSM 1 was standing at the diaper table and had a clear view of the rest of the classroom. 6. Child B ran across the room to the door while carrying the vape. Child A followed Child B. Both children were out of the view of the camera for about ten seconds. Both the children came into the camera view, and Child A had the vape in her hands. 7. Child A went and hid behind CCSM 1's legs, while CCSM 1 was still changing the diaper. CCSM 1 did not look to see what was going on with the two children. 8. Child A came away from behind CCSM 1 and put the vape in her mouth. 9. CCSM 2 entered the room. She went to Child A and grabbed the vape from Child A. She spoke to CCSM 1 and put the vape on the counter away from the children. I could not see smoke out of Child A's mouth on the video. On 7/12/23, I interviewed CCSM 2 who said that she went into Child A's classroom to distribute sponges for the boo-boo packs that they have in each classroom. CCSM 2 said that when she en

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R 400.8110 · R 400.8110 Applicant; licensee; licensee designee; requirements. (6) The licensee or licensee designee shall maintain accurate records detailing daily arrival and departure times for each child care staff member, child care aide, and volunteer. z

During the investigation, it was alleged that Ms. Saleh was not present at the center on 6/29/23, 6/30/23, 7/3/23 or 7/5/23, even though she is the program director. Ms. Saleh never met Child A and C's parents during the week or on 7/5/23 to handle the vaping incident with the parents. It was stated that a circular was sent home on 6/29/23 to all parents stating that effective immediately, Ms. Saleh would take over as the center's director in the absence of Ms. Groves who no longer worked at the center. On 8/2/23, Child A and C's father said that Eman Saleh was not present at the center when the incident happened. Child A and C's father said that he had received notice stating that Ms. Saleh had taken over as the program director at the center since 6/29/23 and the incident happened on 7/5/23. Ms. Saleh was never in the front office during the week. Child A and C's father would drop off his children, Child A and Child C (3-year-old male) any time between 7am and 10 am, and Child A and C's mother would pick them up anywhere between 4 pm and 6 pm, but Ms. Saleh has never been at the center the entire week. Child A and C's father said that the previous program director and her assistant would always be in the front office, but Ms. Saleh has never been there. On 7/6/23, the day after the incident with the vape, Child A and C's father dropped off Child C to take Child A for an appointment with the doctor around 10 am but never saw Ms. Saleh. Child A and C's father said that his wife could not meet Ms. Saleh either at the time of pick up at 2 pm on 7/6/23. Child A and C's father said that the only reason he went back to drop off Child C at the center the next day after the incident is because they had nobody available to care for their son. Child A and C's father and mother disenrolled both of their children from the center after this day. On 8/7/23 I interviewed Ms. Saleh who said that she has been at the center every day during the week of 6/29/23. She said that her hours at the center were as follows during the week of 6/29/23: 6/29/23 Thursday 10 am to 6:15 pm 6/30/23 Friday 6:15 am to 6:15 pm. 7/3/23 Monday 9 am to 3 pm. 7/4/23 Tuesday closed. 7/5/23 Wednesday 9 am to 3:15 pm. 7/6/23 Thursday 10:15 am to 2:15 pm. Ms. Saleh agreed that she should have documented her times in and out on the attendance record, but she failed to do so. She said that she has several staff members 7 that worked in the office and in the classroom that can confirm that she was present at the center on those days. There is also documentation on the pro-care system when she had clocked in and clocked out children when the parents had forgotten to do so. Ms. Saleh said that she maintains long hours on Mondays and Fridays since her husband can pick up the children from school, but on other days, she needs to pick up her children from school; therefore, she comes earlier and leaves by 3 pm. Ms. Saleh said that she fulfils her 6 hours of work per day at the center as required by licensing. However, a new program director has been appointed to assist Ms. Saleh at the center. Ms. Saleh said that on 7/6/23, she had to leave sooner than her required 6 hours because her husband drove the child care children for a field trip that day and they could not get back into the center in time to pick up her children from school. It was planned that the field trip would end by 3 pm so that he would be back to pick up their children from school. Ms. Saleh said that she requested CCSM 3 to be in charge of the front desk for the day. Ms. Saleh said that on the morning of 7/6/23 she got a call from CCSM 3 stating that Child A and C's father was at the center and wanted more information about the incident with Child A. Ms. Saleh told CCSM 3 to tell Child A and C's father to wait a little longer since she would be pulling up in the parking lot soon. Ms. Saleh showed a text message from Child A and C's father on 7/7/23 stating that he could not stay longer to meet with her on 7/6

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R 400.8113 · R 400.8113 Program director qualifications; responsibilities. (2) A program director shall be present in the center in the following manner: (b) At least 50% of the time children are in care but not less than a total of 6 hours per day for programs operating 6 or more continuous hours.

It was alleged during the investigation that the center did not follow their policy about exclusion for illness when HFMD broke out at the center. Children had to stay home for a week, even though they were not diagnosed with the disease. On 8/2/23, Child A and C's father stated that when there was a breakout of Hand Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) at the center (he did not know the exact dates), Ms. Groves told them that they could not bring Child A back to the center for a week even though child A was not diagnosed with HFMD. Child A and C's father said that Child A had a small pimple which was not HFMD (the pimples never blistered), and he had to continue to keep Child A at home leaving work. Child A and C's father said that he brought this matter with Ms. Groves the following week and asked her to refund the tuition payment, but Ms. Groves said that Ms. Saleh was the one to 10 answer that question, and he asked for Ms. Saleh to call him about it. Child A and C's father said that he never heard from Ms. Saleh about this matter. On 8/7/23 I interviewed Ms. Saleh who said that she was aware of the HFMD at the center, but she did not know anything about Child A and C's father asking for a tuition repayment or having a conversation about Child A not returning to child care for a week. Ms. Saleh said that Child A and C's father had contacted her on email several times before and knew her phone number. She never got an email or a phone call from Child A and C's father regarding the HFMD situation. Ms. Saleh said that she had not heard about it from Ms. Groves either. Ms. Saleh said that the center's policy has been that if the disease has not progressed or the doctor is able to clear the child to attend child care, they can return with a doctor's note or free of symptoms for 24 hours without medication. On 8/7/23, I reviewed the exclusion for illness policy in the parent handbook that states that children can return to day care when their fever goes away, and their sores have healed or with a doctor's note clearing them. On 8/7/23, I reviewed the attendance records for Child A during the week when HFMD broke out at the center during the week of 5/15/23. According to the records, Child A was signed in at 8:54 am and signed out at 11 am. Child A did not attend on 5/17/23 and 5/18/23. Child A's file at the center did not contain a doctor's note for returning to child care. On 8/7/23, I interviewed Ms. Groves who said that she recalls a conversation with Child A and C's father about HFMD for Child A. She said that she does not recall all details about the conversation since it was a few months ago and she had talked to many parents about the disease. However, she had told all parents that if the disease progresses in terms of blisters or fever, they need to keep the child home. If the disease has not progressed and the doctor has said that it is not HFMD, the child can return with a doctor's note. Ms. Groves said that she could not remember Child A having any blisters and was not sure why Child A did not return within the week if the doctor had cleared Child A from HFMD. Ms. Groves said that she never told Child A and C's father not to bring Child A to the center if it was not HFMD or the disease did not progress. Ms. Groves said that the family could have returned if there was a doctor's note. Ms. Groves agreed that she told them that just to air on the side of caution, they can wait for 24 hours to make sure that the spots don't turn into blisters. On 8/7/23, I interviewed CCSM 6 who said that she recalled Child A having a couple of spots on her hand and on the buttocks. CCSM 6 recalled that Child A and C's mother came to pick up Child A. At the time of pick up, CCSM 3 was at the office, and she heard CCSM 3 say to Child A and C's mother that HFMD was a highly contagious disease. If the doctor said that this was not HFMD, or contagious anymore, they could bring back Child A to the center. CCSM 6 said that she heard 11 CCSM 7 telling

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R 400.8155 · .................................................................................................................................................................................................................._ I R 400.8155 Child accidents and incidents; child and staff illness. (5) A center shall have a written policy detailing when children, staff, and volunteers will be excluded from the center due to illness. I

The center has a written policy detailing when a child needs to be excluded from the center due to illness and they followed it.

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