Education Station

R 400.8545(3) · R 400.8545(3) Fire extinguishers (3) Fire extinguishers must be properly mounted, inspected, and maintained in accordance with NFPA-10. The fire extinguisher must bear a tag indicating the last date of inspection or service and the initials of the individual who performed the inspection or service.

The fire extinguishers were not inspected at least every 30 days. No inspections occurred in the months of February or March 2026.

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R 400.8260(8) · R 400.8260(8) Medication; administrative procedures (8) Topical nonprescription medication, including, but not limited to, diapering cream, triple antibiotic, sunscreen, and insect repellant, requires written parental authorization annually. Bureau

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R 400.8125(2) · R 400.8125(2) Staff; volunteer; requirements. All staff and volunteers shall act in a manner that is conducive to the welfare of children.

The child care staff acted in a manner that is conducive to the welfare of children.

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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.

Appropriate care and supervision were provided to Child A. Documentation and interviews did not support that Child A was injured at the child care center and never reported to Child A’s Mother.

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R 400.8137(6) · R 400.8137(6) Diapering; toileting. Diapers and training pants must be checked frequently and changed when wet or soiled.

Child A’s diapers were checked frequently and changed when soiled. On 12/4/2024, Child A’s diaper was changed within two hours except when he was napping.

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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 04/17/2023, I received an email from Program Director Yvonne Pardee informing me that Child A (18 months) was standing on a chair, and after being asked to get down many times, Child Care Staff Member 1(CCSM) went up behind her, said, "is this mean," and pulled the chair out from underneath the child. Ms. Pardee added that Child A caught herself on the table and was not injured. After Ms. Pardee was notified of the incident and CCSM 1's employment was immediately terminated. Ms. Pardee sent the required incident report to the department that same day. On 04/17/2023, I contacted Child A's Mother, who reported that she was aware of the incident, and reported that she did not have concerns since CCSM 1 was immediately terminated and Child A was not injured. Child A's Mother felt the center notified her and handled the situation properly. This was the first incident that has occurred that Child A's Mother felt was "questionable," and reported that the center provides good care. On 04/20/2023, I conducted an unannounced onsite inspection at 10:45am and interviewed Program Director Yvonne Pardee, CCSM 2 and CCSM 3. Ms. Pardee stated that following the incident she asked CCSM 1 if she had pulled the chair from Child A, and asked why. CCSM 1 confirmed that she had pulled the chair, and her reason was, "to scare" Child A. Ms. Pardee spoke with both CCSM 2 and CCSM 3 who were in the room at the time, and stated that she got different stories from them with CCSM 2 saying CCSM 1 had an arm around Child A, and CCSM 3 saying there was not an arm around Child A when the chair had been pulled out. I reviewed a copy of the center's discipline policy, and I went into the toddler room to inspect the chair that Child A was standing on. The chair was a toddler sized chair, measuring 10 inches from the ground to the siting surface that Child A had been standing on. I interviewed CCSM 2, who reported that she was sitting down with other children on the day of the incident, and Child A was playing and climbing up on the chair. At first, Child A was climbing up and sitting on the chair, then she started to stand on the chair. All three staff in the room were watching Child A and had asked her to get down multiple times. CCSM 1 went over to her and "grabbed one arm around her stomach" than said "would it be funny if did this..." then pulled the chair out. CCSM 2 added that Child A did cry saying the incident was enough to startle her. CCSM 2 reported that the normal discipline practices in the toddler room are to talk to children, separate any children having issues, or to sit down and distract the children from what is upsetting them. CCSM 2 reported that she had no other concerns with CCSM 1. 3 CCSM 3 reported that she was sitting across the room from Child A and CCSM 1 on the day of the incident and saw Child A climbing the chair. After asking Child A to get down, and CCSM 2 saying, "that is not safe." CCSM 1 walked over to Child A and said, "would this be mean," then "jerked" the chair back. Child A caught herself with her hands on the table, but her feet were still on the chair. CCSM 3 did not recall if Child A cried but added that CCSM 1 was laughing about the incident. CCSM 3 reported that staff will use redirection and talking to the children at their level for discipline, but there is minimal discipline for toddler aged children. There were no concerns regarding CCSM 1 prior to the incident. On 05/30/2023, I interviewed Child B's Mother, Child C's Mother and Child D's Mother. All parents reported that they had no concerns with the care and supervision provided by the center, or the discipline. On 04/17/2023 and on 05/30/2023, I attempted to contact CCSM 1. I did not receive a return call by the completion of the investigation.

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R 400.8140 · R 400.8140 Discipline. (1) Positive methods of discipline that encourage self- control, self-direction, self-esteem, and cooperation must be used.

On 04/17/2023, CCSM 1 did not use positive methods of discipline with Child A when she pulled a chair out from underneath her in an attempt to get her to get off the chair.

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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.

I spoke over the telephone with Child A's Mother on 03/10/2022. On 03/09/2022 it was reported to her that Child A had gotten out of the outdoor play area through a gap between the fence and the building. She was told that child care staff member Abby Ehlert was chasing Child A and calling his name, in a playful manner. It was during this time that Child A ran toward the gap in the fence and was able to get out. During the on-site inspection on 03/16/2022, I spoke with program director Yvonne Pardee. Ms. Pardee took me outside to the outdoor play area while we spoke. She showed me a small gap between the fence and the building. She did not observe the incident herself. She was told by her staff that Child A came to the opening and stayed inside the fenced in area. He was being appropriately supervised by child care staff, as he was followed to the area and prevented from trying to leave through the gap. I interviewed child care staff member Brooke Miller. She was outside at the time of the incident. She told me that both she and Ms. Ehlert saw Child A running toward the gap in the fence. Ms. Elhert followed him. A shovel was resting against the building right at the gap. Ms. Miller said it looked to her like Child A was trying to grab the shovel. She said only his hand and arm went through the gap. It did not appear to her as if he attempted to go through the gap and get out of the fenced in area. I interviewed child care staff members Kay Timm and Kayla Cordosa, but neither of them had direct knowledge of the matter. I interviewed Child B's Mother, Child C's Mother, and Child E's Mother. Child B's Mother and Child E's Mother did not have any concerns regarding supervision. Child C's Mother stated that her child had been bit numerous times in the past, sometimes multiple bites in one day. She questioned the level of supervision for that to occur. She has had no concerns aside from that. I interviewed Ms. Elhert over the telephone. She saw Child A go to the small area of the outdoor play area and she noticed he was going for the shovel, which was right outside the fence, leaning on the building. She followed him. He grabbed the shovel and took it inside the fenced in area. She could not say for sure how much of his body actually got out of the fence. At first, she thought all of it went through but then she said that she could not tell for sure how much of his body was outside of the fence. 3 During my exit conference with Ms. Pardee, I discussed Child C's Mother's concerns regarding biting. She said they do not currently have a biter. They had a biter in the recent past, whom they knew bit and whom they shadowed closely because they knew he bit. That child is no longer at the center because they disenrolled him due to him continuing to bite even with staff right next to him. I attempted to contact Child D's Mother but was unsuccessful.

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R 400.8182 · R 400.8182 Ratio and group size requirements. (5) Children who have reached 45 months of age may, when developmentally appropriate, be enrolled in a 4-year-old classroom with written parental permission. The ratio listed in subrule (3)(d) of this rule applies.

Child A's Mother told me that Child A was moved to the 4-year- old classroom in January, when he was 39 months of age. Children needed to be moved to the 3-year-old room and since Child A was the oldest child in the room, he was moved up to the 4-year-old room. Child A's Mother said Child A has struggled with the transition to the 4-year-old room. Ms. Pardee told her the first week of March that Child A has been walking out of the 4-year-old room often. She asked Child A's Mother for suggestions on how to help with the matter. Child A's Mother said that she believes Child A is not mature enough for the 4-year-old room and that is where the struggles come into play. She said he is being expected to act as a 4- year-old when he is not 4 years old. Child A's Mother stated that concerns were not expressed regarding Child A and his behavior until he was moved to the 4-year-old room. Because of his behaviors, and because child care staff members believed that Child A was trying to leave the outdoor play area, Ms. Pardee told Child A's Mother that Child A will be withdrawn from care after Friday March 18, 2022. Following our conversation, Child A's Mother emailed me copies of screen shots of text messages she had received from Ms. Pardee regarding Child A and his 4 behavior. In one message Ms. Pardee stated that Child A is "old enough to be in the 4-year-old room but he does not seem to be mature enough". She explained that he runs out of the room, eats and drinks from other's plates and cups, he gets into teachers' belongings, and he goes into the bathroom and plays with water to the extent that his clothes need to be changed. She said that Child A can be in the 3- year-old room when the numbers allow, but when numbers do not allow, she is not certain what to do with him. During my interview with Ms. Pardee, she said that they started transitioning Child A to the 4-year-old room in September or October of 2021. At the time only eight children were enrolled in the 4-year-old room, as was the case in the 3-year-old room, so the total number of children was the same in each room at the time Child A was transitioning. Child A's Mother was aware of the transition and "thought it was a great idea". Ms. Pardee advised that despite the room being called the 4-year-old room, a 1:10 ratio has been maintained since the time Child A started in the room. Ms. Pardee said that Child A is "old enough but not mature enough" for the 4-year- old room. She sees his struggles and has communicated with his mother about them. She read me the same messages that Child A's Mother sent me. She recently told Child A's Mother that she does not feel comfortable with Child A in the 4-year-old room and that she does not feel that their facility is the right setting for him. She believes he needs more attention than they can give him there. She sent an email to Child A's Mother following the outdoor play incident advising that she was terminating care for Child A, as of 03/18/2022. She said that she does not think they are a safe environment for him any longer. Ms. Timm is the lead child care staff member for the 3 year old room. She explained to me that she believed Child A was ready to move to the 4-year-old room due to his age, his level of intelligence, the fact that he was potty trained, and that he could sit in circle time. He was in her room for about one year. In that time "he needed a lot of time and attention". She described his as "busy" and "active" and said, "you couldn't really take your eyes off him". Child A's Mother was aware of this. She asked Child A's Mother to talk to him at home about staying in the room and about not touching or using other people's things, such as their water bottles. Ms. Timm said that Child A's behaviors were the same when he left the room as they were when he first started in the room. They began transitioning him in September or October, sending him to the 4-year-old room for an hour or two at a time to start. Ms. Timm s

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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. 4

On 11/01/2021, 1 received a phone call from Program Director Yvonne Pardee, indicating that Child A (9 months old) had been left unattended in the room by staff members while they had taken the other children on a walk. Ms. Pardee reported there were two staff members, child care staff members Cheyanne Fischer, and Flora Deppe with eight children in the infant room that day. Ms. Deppe and Ms. Fisher dressed the children in their jackets and hats, to go for a walk in the strollers, and "somehow just left Child A in the room alone." Ms. Pardee reported that child care staff member Mary Jane Leyondowski, went into the room to find something, and heard something rattling the cabinet around the corner. When she went around the corner, she saw Child A pulling on the locked cabinet. Ms. Pardee said that Child A was not in distress or injured and she immediately picked him up and took him to her office and contacted Child A's Mother. Approximately ten minutes later, Ms. Deppe and Ms. Fischer returned from their walk and were still unaware that Child A was missing from their care. Ms. Pardee said it was not until she mentioned something that Ms. Fischer became visibly upset by the incident, however Child A's primary caregiver, Ms. Deppe "did not seem bothered." Ms. Deppe's employment was immediately terminated, and Ms. Fischer was written up. I arrived at the child care center on 11/3/2021, for an unannounced onsite inspection and interviewed Ms. Pardee. Ms. Pardee reported that since the incident she has placed signs in each of the rooms that remind staff to count children, and to check attendance records by performing "name to face", where staff are checking the name and visibly looking at the child in care. Staff are required to perform these practices any time they leave their rooms, even if just moving to another room in the center. While onsite, I inspected the infant room, where Child A was left unattended, and confirmed that all floor level cabinets were locked and free from hazards, including the cabinets where Child A was found. Ms. Pardee reported that after talking with different staff and piecing together the morning it was approximately ten minutes that Child A was unattended and approximately one hour before she said something to the staff members and staff realized that he was missing. Ms. Pardee stated that she was so "upset and distraught" by the incident and described it as "unacceptable." I interviewed Child A's Mother, Child B's Mother and Child C's Mother on 11/09/2021, and Child D's Mother on 11/15/2021. Child A's Mother reported that aside from the incident that occurred on 11/01/2021, she had no concerns with the care and supervision. Child A had only been attending the center since the end of August, and she plans to continue sending Child A. Child A's Mother added that she felt that she was notified immediately, and the center took all appropriate steps 3 including terminating the staff member. Child B's Mother reported that the only concerns that she has had with care and supervision has been with child care staff member Flora Deppe. Child B's Mother has witnessed her on her phone a number of times at pick up and felt that she was not paying attention to the children present in the room. Child B's Mother reported that she had not mentioned her concerns to Program Director Yvonne Pardee. Child C's Mother reported that her family has been with the child care center for approximately three years, and she has had no concerns with care and supervision provided. Child D's Mother stated that she has no concerns with the care and supervision provided and added that at times she will pop in to the center at odd times as she works near the center. On 11/15/2021, I interviewed child care staff member Cheyanne Fischer. Ms. Fischer was working in the infant room on 11/01/2021 with child care staff member Flora Deppe. Ms. Fischer reported that there were eight children present and they were getting all the children ready

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R 400.8146(3)(a) · R 400.8146(3)(a) Information provided to parents. .......... (3) For infants and toddlers, parents shall receive a written daily record that includes at least the following information: (a) Food intake; time, type of food, and amount eaten. 5

On 11/01/2021, The daily sheets for Child A and three other children did not reflect accurate feeding for breakfast and morning snacks.

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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. 13

On 11/24/2020 I made an onsite inspection at the child care facility, Education Station of Wayland. During the inspection, I spoke to the Program Director Ms. Kaylee Rudd and the child care staff members Ms. Sadie Harpst; Ms. Vonnie Pardee; Ms. Lexi Badalamenti; and Ms. Julie McBride. Ms. Rudd acknowledged that there have been ongoing issues present concerning Child B and Child C frequently biting and scratching other children within the toddler room. Ms. Rudd stated that whenever Child A, or any other child has been bitten or scratched, the child care staff members always intervene and encourage the child care children to use "nice hands." Ms. Rudd stated that issues with Child B had escalated to the point of them having discussions to disenroll her from the child care facility. Ms. Rudd noted that Child B's Guardian had supplied the child care facility with a teether that Child B can wear that she can bite, in hopes that this would prevent her from biting others. The teether was used for a time but was eventually discontinued due to Child B leaving the teether throughout the toddler room and concerns regarding sanitization to prevent the potential spread of Covid19. Regarding Child A's injuries, Ms. Rudd reported that they have implemented a shadowing procedure for Child B and Child C to help prevent future incidents. Ms. Rudd acknowledged being aware of the allegations that a child was observed sitting in a sandbox and eating sand while a child care staff member was on their phone. Ms. Rudd denied being aware of who the child care staff member was, or when the incident happened, as it was not reported at the time it occurred. Ms. Rudd noted that there was an ongoing issue amongst some of the child care staff members where they were using their personal phones during work hours, and with the allegations regarding the child in the sandbox, this prompted Ms. Rudd to hold a staff meeting where she reviewed the phone usage policy during work hours. Ms. Harpst informed me that she has only observed Child A being bitten once by Child B and noted that shortly after the one time she observed, Child B began to wear a teether in the classroom to help prevent with biting. However, Ms. Harpst noted that Child B only wore the teether a few times, stating they stopped giving it to Child B as she would take it off and leave it in various places throughout the classroom. Ms. Harpst acknowledged that during times when Child B has become upset or agitated, she would respond with biting. Ms. Harpst reported that in response to the biting, it was decided that the child care staff members would begin "shadowing" Child B, which she believed helped to discourage the biting. While discussing Child A being scratched by Child C, Ms. Harpst characterized Child C as having "a bad attitude," and she doesn't believe there was much that has worked at helping to change the way Child C has acted towards other child care children. Ms. Harpst said that similarly to Child B, Child C will receive verbal redirections and encouraged to use "nice hands" after scratching, but she acknowledged that this does not seem to make Child C change her behaviors. Ms. 4 Harpst stated that discussions have occurred regarding implementing a shadowing program for Child C, but she noted that this had not occurred yet. I asked Ms. Harpst about phone usage by the child care staff members. Ms. Harpst did not believe this was an ongoing issue, noting that many of the child care staff members have used their phones in the past to access the ProCare app, to upload photographs of the children, as the cameras that are on the Education Station tablets are not good. It should be noted that Ms. Harpst had no information pertaining to the allegations that a child was sitting in a sandbox ingesting sand while a child care staff member was on their phone. Ms. Pardee reported that she has worked at the child care facility off and on for several years, but that she just recently returned to the

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R 400.8182 · R 400.8182 1 Ratio and group size requirements. (3) In each room or well-defined space, the maximum group size and ratio of child care staff members to children, including children related to a staff member or the licensee, must be as shown in Table 4: TABLE 4 Child Cace Staff Member to 0`.: @i ld Ratios Age Child Care Staff Maximum .,!ember to Child Ratio Group Size -----7--------I-nf--a-n-t-s-- a--n--d- -t-o-d--d--l-e-r-s--.- b--i-n--h-- i-m---t il 3R i to 4 - I 12 ---____-- at months of age 4 cho- olers. 30 mont- hs o- f age ----- --- - I to- S + 16 hi until 3 years of age g Preschoolers. 3 years of age until 4 1 to 10 Not applicable cl years ofage Prebchoolers_ 4 ;•eats' of age until Ito 12 Nat apjlieable d) school-age ( School-seers 1 to IS Not applicable C)

Child E's Mother and Child F's Mother both reported the child care facility occasionally being out of ratio during drop-offs. Child E's Mother stated that there have been three separate occasions where Child E being dropped off brought the ratio to either 5:1 or 6:1; while Child F's Mother stated that she's observed ratios of 8:1 in the morning.

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