G.S. 110-90 · Violation

Name of Operation: INDEPENDENCE MONTESSORI ACADEMY, LLC Facility ID: 43000568 Consultant: MASHEKIA RAINES Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 3/10/2025 Number Present: 65 Completed Date: 3/10/2025 Age: From 2 To 5 Total Minutes: 250 Time In: 11:00 AM Time Out: 03:10 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor compliance during an Annual Compliance visit. A checklist was used to note the requirements I monitored today. Upon arrival I was greeted by the administrator, Lynette Vergara. Ratio, group size, supervision, capacity, and approved space were in compliance. The license, restrictions, and emergency care plan were posted. CPR, First-Aid, and storage of hazardous materials were monitored. The NC Child Care Law was posted. The children were observed during a transition time and preparing for lunch. During today’s review I monitored program requirements, equipment and furnishings, medications, outdoor area, and transportation and all items were in compliance. I reviewed children’s records and the completed staff and training worksheets. Your signature on these forms will serve as further verification of the information provided is accurate and complete. Your facility information and e-mail address were reviewed, and no changes were made. The following violation was observed during today’s visit; Violation Number Comment Rule 428 A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference. In two classrooms for preschool children the posted activity plan was not current. GS 110-91(12); .0508(a) In response to the violation that was cited during today’s visit, I provided technical assistance and clarification on the following item; All centers must have a current schedule and activity plan for each group of children posted for reference by parents and by caregivers. I recommend that you complete a weekly review of activity plans to ensure that all classrooms have the current plan posted. Activity plans are an important tool to help in preparing for children’s care and learning. Preparation for these plans provides the teacher time to think about the class, stage of development for the children and allows for challenging but achievable goals to be obtained and achieve overall success. Although violations were not observed, I provided clarification and technical assistance regarding the following items; I reviewed and explained that each operator must schedule a Sanitation and Fire inspection within 12 months of the center's previous inspections. You must submit the original of the completed Sanitation and Fire inspection report to me within one week of the inspection, on the state form provided by the Division. Please be reminded your fire inspection will expire on 10/11/2025. Your sanitation inspection will expire on 12/13/25. Please contact Environmental Health and your local fire inspector within 30 days of the due date to request an inspection be completed. Once your inspection has been received, you will need to email them to me or mail two copies to PO Box 2306 Lillington, NC 27546. I observed during today’s review that you completed your Clean Water for Carolina Kids testing on 03/26/2024 and all items were in compliance. I reviewed the Criminal Background Check application and explained that it will be completed online at www.ncchildcare.nc.gov/general/dhhscrc.asp. The payment for a Criminal Background Check will be part of the online application process. Fingerprints must be completed through live scan at your local county Sheriff's Office. I recommended that you visit our website and stay familiar with the Criminal Background Check procedures. During today’s review I observed that all staff have obtained approved qualifying letters. Please be reminded that all staff members need to complete the entire process initially and obtain an approved qualifying letter before they are hired or begin working. The General Assembly of North Carolina enacted G.S. 110-90.2(b) which explains that CBC renewals are currently due for all employees every five years. I also explained that you must place the correct e-mail on the CBC application to ensure that your qualifying letter is received in a timely manner. I explained that you can renew criminal background checks up to six months ahead of time. I also recommended that you place renewal dates on a calendar, spreadsheet, or bulletin board to help keep you reminded of when it's time for renewals to be completed and this will help to maintain compliance in this area. As stated in G.S. 110-90.2 & .2703(r) child care operators are to notify the Division of any new child care providers working who were hired or moved into the child care facility within five business days. The process of notifying the Division has changed and is now captured in ABCMS. This change has been in effect since February 2024. Effective immediately, you will need to obtain a Business NCID and complete Provider Portal training in Moodle at https://www.dcdee.moodle.nc.gov/course/view.php?id=119. No action is needed on your part if you have completed the reference training and are currently using the ABCMS Provider Portal to update information regarding new hires or residents. Once the training has been completed and access has been given, you must verify your facility roster to ensure current staff are noted on the roster. This information should be updated in ABCMS in an ongoing basis as staff members are hired and when their employment is terminated. This satisfies the requirement to notify the Division of new child care providers working who were hired or moved into the child care facility within five business days. The compliance of this rule will be monitored during your next visit. Please note, the hard copy of the Change of Information form will no longer be needed or accepted. Should you need assistance please contact the Criminal Background Check Unit at 1-800-859-0829 or (919) 814-8401 and someone will assist you. During today’s visit I observed a sample of the children’s work and verified that it relates to the current theme of study. The current theme is Leprechauns and the activities revolve around the history of leprechauns, their location, traps, planting, the color green and shamrocks. I also reviewed with you a list of trainings that were available through the Southwestern Child Development Commission which can also be found at www.swcdcinc.org. All health and safety trainings have now been relocated from Pro-Solutions to Moodle on our website free of charge. I observed that all applicable staff have completed the five-year renewal for the required health and safety trainings. Professional development training and education provides early childhood staff with the knowledge and skills needed to perform their duties and provide quality child care. Training is an on-going process which prepares educators to develop and expand upon their skills and knowledge. Child care licensing requirements are established to ensure a safe and healthy child care environment. Therefore, it is important for you to be knowledgeable of all the licensing requirements that apply to your program. It is your responsibility to maintain compliance with all of the applicable laws and rules at all times. The best way for you to make sure that you are meeting all requirements is to periodically review the childcare law and rules. I explained that you have access to the on-line version of the Child Care Rule Book, as well as a hard copy of the rules. I recommended that you visit the Division of Child Development's website (www.ncchildcare.nc.gov) on a regular basis to find out what's new in childcare. You could also find any needed Child Care forms by going on the web site and clicking on the "Provider" tab and then clicking on the "Provider Documents" tab. If you have any questions, you can contact me at 910-824-0137. If the operator fails to correct any documented violations within the established time period, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may deny, suspend, terminate, or revoke any permit to operate (10A NCAC 09 .2000). All information in this report has been reviewed with me today.I understand that it is my responsibility to maintaincompliance with applicable NC Child Care Requirements at all times

Open Not marked corrected in the state record

Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.

GS 110-91 · Violation

Name of Operation: INDEPENDENCE MONTESSORI ACADEMY, LLC Facility ID: 43000568 Consultant: MASHEKIA RAINES Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 3/10/2025 Number Present: 65 Completed Date: 3/10/2025 Age: From 2 To 5 Total Minutes: 250 Time In: 11:00 AM Time Out: 03:10 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Annual Comp Full Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today’s visit was to monitor compliance during an Annual Compliance visit. A checklist was used to note the requirements I monitored today. Upon arrival I was greeted by the administrator, Lynette Vergara. Ratio, group size, supervision, capacity, and approved space were in compliance. The license, restrictions, and emergency care plan were posted. CPR, First-Aid, and storage of hazardous materials were monitored. The NC Child Care Law was posted. The children were observed during a transition time and preparing for lunch. During today’s review I monitored program requirements, equipment and furnishings, medications, outdoor area, and transportation and all items were in compliance. I reviewed children’s records and the completed staff and training worksheets. Your signature on these forms will serve as further verification of the information provided is accurate and complete. Your facility information and e-mail address were reviewed, and no changes were made. The following violation was observed during today’s visit; Violation Number Comment Rule 428 A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference. In two classrooms for preschool children the posted activity plan was not current. GS 110-91(12); .0508(a) In response to the violation that was cited during today’s visit, I provided technical assistance and clarification on the following item; All centers must have a current schedule and activity plan for each group of children posted for reference by parents and by caregivers. I recommend that you complete a weekly review of activity plans to ensure that all classrooms have the current plan posted. Activity plans are an important tool to help in preparing for children’s care and learning. Preparation for these plans provides the teacher time to think about the class, stage of development for the children and allows for challenging but achievable goals to be obtained and achieve overall success. Although violations were not observed, I provided clarification and technical assistance regarding the following items; I reviewed and explained that each operator must schedule a Sanitation and Fire inspection within 12 months of the center's previous inspections. You must submit the original of the completed Sanitation and Fire inspection report to me within one week of the inspection, on the state form provided by the Division. Please be reminded your fire inspection will expire on 10/11/2025. Your sanitation inspection will expire on 12/13/25. Please contact Environmental Health and your local fire inspector within 30 days of the due date to request an inspection be completed. Once your inspection has been received, you will need to email them to me or mail two copies to PO Box 2306 Lillington, NC 27546. I observed during today’s review that you completed your Clean Water for Carolina Kids testing on 03/26/2024 and all items were in compliance. I reviewed the Criminal Background Check application and explained that it will be completed online at www.ncchildcare.nc.gov/general/dhhscrc.asp. The payment for a Criminal Background Check will be part of the online application process. Fingerprints must be completed through live scan at your local county Sheriff's Office. I recommended that you visit our website and stay familiar with the Criminal Background Check procedures. During today’s review I observed that all staff have obtained approved qualifying letters. Please be reminded that all staff members need to complete the entire process initially and obtain an approved qualifying letter before they are hired or begin working. The General Assembly of North Carolina enacted G.S. 110-90.2(b) which explains that CBC renewals are currently due for all employees every five years. I also explained that you must place the correct e-mail on the CBC application to ensure that your qualifying letter is received in a timely manner. I explained that you can renew criminal background checks up to six months ahead of time. I also recommended that you place renewal dates on a calendar, spreadsheet, or bulletin board to help keep you reminded of when it's time for renewals to be completed and this will help to maintain compliance in this area. As stated in G.S. 110-90.2 & .2703(r) child care operators are to notify the Division of any new child care providers working who were hired or moved into the child care facility within five business days. The process of notifying the Division has changed and is now captured in ABCMS. This change has been in effect since February 2024. Effective immediately, you will need to obtain a Business NCID and complete Provider Portal training in Moodle at https://www.dcdee.moodle.nc.gov/course/view.php?id=119. No action is needed on your part if you have completed the reference training and are currently using the ABCMS Provider Portal to update information regarding new hires or residents. Once the training has been completed and access has been given, you must verify your facility roster to ensure current staff are noted on the roster. This information should be updated in ABCMS in an ongoing basis as staff members are hired and when their employment is terminated. This satisfies the requirement to notify the Division of new child care providers working who were hired or moved into the child care facility within five business days. The compliance of this rule will be monitored during your next visit. Please note, the hard copy of the Change of Information form will no longer be needed or accepted. Should you need assistance please contact the Criminal Background Check Unit at 1-800-859-0829 or (919) 814-8401 and someone will assist you. During today’s visit I observed a sample of the children’s work and verified that it relates to the current theme of study. The current theme is Leprechauns and the activities revolve around the history of leprechauns, their location, traps, planting, the color green and shamrocks. I also reviewed with you a list of trainings that were available through the Southwestern Child Development Commission which can also be found at www.swcdcinc.org. All health and safety trainings have now been relocated from Pro-Solutions to Moodle on our website free of charge. I observed that all applicable staff have completed the five-year renewal for the required health and safety trainings. Professional development training and education provides early childhood staff with the knowledge and skills needed to perform their duties and provide quality child care. Training is an on-going process which prepares educators to develop and expand upon their skills and knowledge. Child care licensing requirements are established to ensure a safe and healthy child care environment. Therefore, it is important for you to be knowledgeable of all the licensing requirements that apply to your program. It is your responsibility to maintain compliance with all of the applicable laws and rules at all times. The best way for you to make sure that you are meeting all requirements is to periodically review the childcare law and rules. I explained that you have access to the on-line version of the Child Care Rule Book, as well as a hard copy of the rules. I recommended that you visit the Division of Child Development's website (www.ncchildcare.nc.gov) on a regular basis to find out what's new in childcare. You could also find any needed Child Care forms by going on the web site and clicking on the "Provider" tab and then clicking on the "Provider Documents" tab. If you have any questions, you can contact me at 910-824-0137. If the operator fails to correct any documented violations within the established time period, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may deny, suspend, terminate, or revoke any permit to operate (10A NCAC 09 .2000). All information in this report has been reviewed with me today.I understand that it is my responsibility to maintaincompliance with applicable NC Child Care Requirements at all times

G.S. 110-90 · Violation

Name of Operation: INDEPENDENCE MONTESSORI ACADEMY, LLC Facility ID: 43000568 Consultant: MASHEKIA RAINES Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 10/1/2024 Number Present: 60 Completed Date: 10/1/2024 Age: From 2 To 5 Total Minutes: 100 Time In: 11:00 AM Time Out: 12:40 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Routine Unannounced Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today's visit was to monitor compliance with applicable child care requirements during your Routine Unannounced visit. Upon arrival I was greeted by the Administrator, Lynette Vergara. Ratio, group size, supervision, capacity and approved space were in compliance. The license, restrictions and emergency care plan were posted. CPR, First-Aid and storage of hazardous materials were monitored and in compliance. The NC Child Care Law was posted. Safety requirements, indoor and outdoor learning environments, safe sleep practices, emergency preparedness and response and prevention of shaken baby syndrome and abusive head trauma requirements were reviewed and in compliance. The children were observed in preparing for lunch and completing handwashing activities. Monthly fire drills and playground inspections were reviewed and current. Your facility information and e-mail address were reviewed, and no changes were made. The last fire inspection was dated 10-23-2023. Your last sanitation inspection was dated 12-15-2023. Please be reminded to contact Environmental Health and your local Fire Inspector, to request that an inspection be completed for your facility, before the previous inspections are a year old. You can place your due dates on a calendar or spreadsheet to help you maintain compliance in this area. The following violation was observed during today’s visit; Violation Number Comment Rule 428 A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference. The classroom for two-year old children did not have a current activity plan posted. GS 110-91(12); .0508(a) In response to the violations that were cited during today’s visit, I provided technical assistance and clarification on the following items; Please be reminded that all centers must have a current schedule and activity plan for each group of children posted for reference by parents and by caregivers. Activity plans are an important tool to help in preparing for children’s care and learning. Preparation for these plans provides the teacher time to think about the class, stage of development for the children and allows for challenging but achievable goals to be obtained and achieve overall success. I recommended that a weekly monitoring of the activity plans will help you maintain compliance in this area. During today’s visit, although violations were not observed or documented, clarification and technical assistance regarding the following items were reviewed; I reviewed the Criminal Background Check application and explained that it will be completed online at www.ncchildcare.nc.gov/general/dhhscrc.asp. The payment for a Criminal Background Check will be part of the online application process. Fingerprints must be completed through live scan at your local county Sheriff's Office. I recommended that you visit our website and stay familiar with the Criminal Background Check procedures. Please be reminded that all staff members need to complete the entire process initially and obtain an approved qualifying letter before they are hired or begin working. The General Assembly of North Carolina enacted G.S. 110-90.2(b) which explains that CBC renewals are currently due for all employees every five years. I also explained that you must place the correct e-mail on the CBC application to ensure that your qualifying letter is received in a timely manner. I explained that you can renew criminal background checks up to six months ahead of time. I also recommended that you place renewal dates on a calendar, spreadsheet, or bulletin board to help keep you reminded of when it's time for renewals to be completed and this will help to maintain compliance in this area. There is a new feature that links criminal background applications to the facility. North Carolina child care administrators can now view and edit their facility’s staff roster in ABCMS, the DCDEE’s criminal background check system. Provider Access to ABCMS allows administrators to: • See the real-time background check status of staff members. • Run a printable report of the staff roster to assist with compliance visits. • See new background check applicants and add to staff roster. To get started, complete the ABCMS Child Care Provider Portal Training in Moodle—a video tutorial followed by a few questions. During today’s visit I observed a sample of the children’s work and verified that it relates to the current theme of study. The current theme is fall. The activities revolve around pumpkin investigations, fall vocabulary, and the weather. I reviewed the program, staff and children’s files checklist. I explained that these forms will assist you in maintaining compliance and providing quality care. All health and safety trainings have now been relocated from Pro-Solutions to Moodle on our website free of charge. To access training in the Moodle platform, you will need to login with your NCID - the same NCID that used for WORKS login, and/or the CBC Portal. I observed that all applicable staff have completed the 5-year renewal for the required health and safety trainings. Professional development training and education provides early childhood staff with the knowledge and skills needed to perform their duties and provide quality child care. Training is an on-going process which prepares educators to develop and expand upon their skills and knowledge. Pursuant to GS 110-90(1a) the Division establishes an annual fee for licensed child care facilities. The invoices for the fees are assessed based on your licensed capacity and mailed after the 1st of November every year. You will only receive one invoice and payment is due in FULL within 30 days. Please closely monitor your mail and be on the lookout for your invoice. If you have not received your invoice by November 15th you should contact the Division at 1-800-850-0829. Please don’t delay making your payment and be aware that Payment Plans are NOT available. In addition, please be aware that failure to pay a license fee within 30 days of receipt will result in late charges. If payments are made late and late charges are applied, the fee as well as the late charge must be resolved. Please be reminded that, failure to pay a license fee could also result in the facility's child care license being revoked. Please be reminded this year's Child Care Immunization Reports will be due sometime in the near future. Although a deadline date has not been determined at this time, I recommend that you begin to prepare your records for the report. Failure to submit an annual child care immunization report per G.S. 130A-155 will be reported to the Local Health Director for your county. If you have questions about the Child Care Immunization Report, please email Immunization.Reports@dhhs.nc.gov or call 919-707-5595. Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids is a program designed to identify and eliminate exposure to lead and asbestos hazards in building infrastructure. This program is an expansion of Clean Water for Carolina Kids, which previously tested all child care centers in the state for lead in water at drinking and food preparation taps. All facilities need to enroll for lead in paint and water and asbestos at www.cleanwaterforuskids.org/carolina by November 1, 2024, in order to be eligible for funding to cover costs of testing for lead in water and inspecting for asbestos and lead-based paint hazards. Additional information and sign up is available at www.cleanwaterforUSkids.org/carolina. You explained that you were in the process of completing the water testing and you are currently awaiting results. I reviewed that once the results are completed, maintain the documentation on file for review at a later date. Child care licensing requirements are established to ensure a safe and healthy child care environment. Therefore, it is important for you to be knowledgeable of all the licensing requirements that apply to your program. It is your responsibility to maintain compliance with all of the applicable laws and rules at all times. The best way for you to make sure that you are meeting all requirements is to periodically review the child care law and rules. I explained that you have access to the on-line version of the Child Care Rule Book, as well as a hard copy of the rules. I recommended that you visit the Division of Child Development's website (www.ncchildcare.nc.gov) on a regular basis to find out what's new in child care. You could also find any needed Child Care forms by going on the web site and clicking on the "Provider" tab and then clicking on the "Provider Documents" tab. If you have any questions, you can contact me at mashekia.raines@dhhs.nc.gov or 910-824-0137. If the operator fails to correct any documented violations within the established time period, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may deny, suspend, terminate, or revoke any permit to operate (10A NCAC 09 .2000). All information in this report has been reviewed with me today.I understand that it is my responsibility to maintaincompliance with applicable NC Child Care Requirements at all times

Open Not marked corrected in the state record

Category: supervision. Open / not marked corrected.

GS 110-90 · Violation

Name of Operation: INDEPENDENCE MONTESSORI ACADEMY, LLC Facility ID: 43000568 Consultant: MASHEKIA RAINES Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 10/1/2024 Number Present: 60 Completed Date: 10/1/2024 Age: From 2 To 5 Total Minutes: 100 Time In: 11:00 AM Time Out: 12:40 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Routine Unannounced Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today's visit was to monitor compliance with applicable child care requirements during your Routine Unannounced visit. Upon arrival I was greeted by the Administrator, Lynette Vergara. Ratio, group size, supervision, capacity and approved space were in compliance. The license, restrictions and emergency care plan were posted. CPR, First-Aid and storage of hazardous materials were monitored and in compliance. The NC Child Care Law was posted. Safety requirements, indoor and outdoor learning environments, safe sleep practices, emergency preparedness and response and prevention of shaken baby syndrome and abusive head trauma requirements were reviewed and in compliance. The children were observed in preparing for lunch and completing handwashing activities. Monthly fire drills and playground inspections were reviewed and current. Your facility information and e-mail address were reviewed, and no changes were made. The last fire inspection was dated 10-23-2023. Your last sanitation inspection was dated 12-15-2023. Please be reminded to contact Environmental Health and your local Fire Inspector, to request that an inspection be completed for your facility, before the previous inspections are a year old. You can place your due dates on a calendar or spreadsheet to help you maintain compliance in this area. The following violation was observed during today’s visit; Violation Number Comment Rule 428 A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference. The classroom for two-year old children did not have a current activity plan posted. GS 110-91(12); .0508(a) In response to the violations that were cited during today’s visit, I provided technical assistance and clarification on the following items; Please be reminded that all centers must have a current schedule and activity plan for each group of children posted for reference by parents and by caregivers. Activity plans are an important tool to help in preparing for children’s care and learning. Preparation for these plans provides the teacher time to think about the class, stage of development for the children and allows for challenging but achievable goals to be obtained and achieve overall success. I recommended that a weekly monitoring of the activity plans will help you maintain compliance in this area. During today’s visit, although violations were not observed or documented, clarification and technical assistance regarding the following items were reviewed; I reviewed the Criminal Background Check application and explained that it will be completed online at www.ncchildcare.nc.gov/general/dhhscrc.asp. The payment for a Criminal Background Check will be part of the online application process. Fingerprints must be completed through live scan at your local county Sheriff's Office. I recommended that you visit our website and stay familiar with the Criminal Background Check procedures. Please be reminded that all staff members need to complete the entire process initially and obtain an approved qualifying letter before they are hired or begin working. The General Assembly of North Carolina enacted G.S. 110-90.2(b) which explains that CBC renewals are currently due for all employees every five years. I also explained that you must place the correct e-mail on the CBC application to ensure that your qualifying letter is received in a timely manner. I explained that you can renew criminal background checks up to six months ahead of time. I also recommended that you place renewal dates on a calendar, spreadsheet, or bulletin board to help keep you reminded of when it's time for renewals to be completed and this will help to maintain compliance in this area. There is a new feature that links criminal background applications to the facility. North Carolina child care administrators can now view and edit their facility’s staff roster in ABCMS, the DCDEE’s criminal background check system. Provider Access to ABCMS allows administrators to: • See the real-time background check status of staff members. • Run a printable report of the staff roster to assist with compliance visits. • See new background check applicants and add to staff roster. To get started, complete the ABCMS Child Care Provider Portal Training in Moodle—a video tutorial followed by a few questions. During today’s visit I observed a sample of the children’s work and verified that it relates to the current theme of study. The current theme is fall. The activities revolve around pumpkin investigations, fall vocabulary, and the weather. I reviewed the program, staff and children’s files checklist. I explained that these forms will assist you in maintaining compliance and providing quality care. All health and safety trainings have now been relocated from Pro-Solutions to Moodle on our website free of charge. To access training in the Moodle platform, you will need to login with your NCID - the same NCID that used for WORKS login, and/or the CBC Portal. I observed that all applicable staff have completed the 5-year renewal for the required health and safety trainings. Professional development training and education provides early childhood staff with the knowledge and skills needed to perform their duties and provide quality child care. Training is an on-going process which prepares educators to develop and expand upon their skills and knowledge. Pursuant to GS 110-90(1a) the Division establishes an annual fee for licensed child care facilities. The invoices for the fees are assessed based on your licensed capacity and mailed after the 1st of November every year. You will only receive one invoice and payment is due in FULL within 30 days. Please closely monitor your mail and be on the lookout for your invoice. If you have not received your invoice by November 15th you should contact the Division at 1-800-850-0829. Please don’t delay making your payment and be aware that Payment Plans are NOT available. In addition, please be aware that failure to pay a license fee within 30 days of receipt will result in late charges. If payments are made late and late charges are applied, the fee as well as the late charge must be resolved. Please be reminded that, failure to pay a license fee could also result in the facility's child care license being revoked. Please be reminded this year's Child Care Immunization Reports will be due sometime in the near future. Although a deadline date has not been determined at this time, I recommend that you begin to prepare your records for the report. Failure to submit an annual child care immunization report per G.S. 130A-155 will be reported to the Local Health Director for your county. If you have questions about the Child Care Immunization Report, please email Immunization.Reports@dhhs.nc.gov or call 919-707-5595. Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids is a program designed to identify and eliminate exposure to lead and asbestos hazards in building infrastructure. This program is an expansion of Clean Water for Carolina Kids, which previously tested all child care centers in the state for lead in water at drinking and food preparation taps. All facilities need to enroll for lead in paint and water and asbestos at www.cleanwaterforuskids.org/carolina by November 1, 2024, in order to be eligible for funding to cover costs of testing for lead in water and inspecting for asbestos and lead-based paint hazards. Additional information and sign up is available at www.cleanwaterforUSkids.org/carolina. You explained that you were in the process of completing the water testing and you are currently awaiting results. I reviewed that once the results are completed, maintain the documentation on file for review at a later date. Child care licensing requirements are established to ensure a safe and healthy child care environment. Therefore, it is important for you to be knowledgeable of all the licensing requirements that apply to your program. It is your responsibility to maintain compliance with all of the applicable laws and rules at all times. The best way for you to make sure that you are meeting all requirements is to periodically review the child care law and rules. I explained that you have access to the on-line version of the Child Care Rule Book, as well as a hard copy of the rules. I recommended that you visit the Division of Child Development's website (www.ncchildcare.nc.gov) on a regular basis to find out what's new in child care. You could also find any needed Child Care forms by going on the web site and clicking on the "Provider" tab and then clicking on the "Provider Documents" tab. If you have any questions, you can contact me at mashekia.raines@dhhs.nc.gov or 910-824-0137. If the operator fails to correct any documented violations within the established time period, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may deny, suspend, terminate, or revoke any permit to operate (10A NCAC 09 .2000). All information in this report has been reviewed with me today.I understand that it is my responsibility to maintaincompliance with applicable NC Child Care Requirements at all times

GS 110-91 · Violation

Name of Operation: INDEPENDENCE MONTESSORI ACADEMY, LLC Facility ID: 43000568 Consultant: MASHEKIA RAINES Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 10/1/2024 Number Present: 60 Completed Date: 10/1/2024 Age: From 2 To 5 Total Minutes: 100 Time In: 11:00 AM Time Out: 12:40 PM Time In: Time Out: List to Use: Center Type Of Visit: Routine Unannounced Announced/Unannounced: Unannounced The purpose of today's visit was to monitor compliance with applicable child care requirements during your Routine Unannounced visit. Upon arrival I was greeted by the Administrator, Lynette Vergara. Ratio, group size, supervision, capacity and approved space were in compliance. The license, restrictions and emergency care plan were posted. CPR, First-Aid and storage of hazardous materials were monitored and in compliance. The NC Child Care Law was posted. Safety requirements, indoor and outdoor learning environments, safe sleep practices, emergency preparedness and response and prevention of shaken baby syndrome and abusive head trauma requirements were reviewed and in compliance. The children were observed in preparing for lunch and completing handwashing activities. Monthly fire drills and playground inspections were reviewed and current. Your facility information and e-mail address were reviewed, and no changes were made. The last fire inspection was dated 10-23-2023. Your last sanitation inspection was dated 12-15-2023. Please be reminded to contact Environmental Health and your local Fire Inspector, to request that an inspection be completed for your facility, before the previous inspections are a year old. You can place your due dates on a calendar or spreadsheet to help you maintain compliance in this area. The following violation was observed during today’s visit; Violation Number Comment Rule 428 A current activity plan was not posted for each group of children for reference. The classroom for two-year old children did not have a current activity plan posted. GS 110-91(12); .0508(a) In response to the violations that were cited during today’s visit, I provided technical assistance and clarification on the following items; Please be reminded that all centers must have a current schedule and activity plan for each group of children posted for reference by parents and by caregivers. Activity plans are an important tool to help in preparing for children’s care and learning. Preparation for these plans provides the teacher time to think about the class, stage of development for the children and allows for challenging but achievable goals to be obtained and achieve overall success. I recommended that a weekly monitoring of the activity plans will help you maintain compliance in this area. During today’s visit, although violations were not observed or documented, clarification and technical assistance regarding the following items were reviewed; I reviewed the Criminal Background Check application and explained that it will be completed online at www.ncchildcare.nc.gov/general/dhhscrc.asp. The payment for a Criminal Background Check will be part of the online application process. Fingerprints must be completed through live scan at your local county Sheriff's Office. I recommended that you visit our website and stay familiar with the Criminal Background Check procedures. Please be reminded that all staff members need to complete the entire process initially and obtain an approved qualifying letter before they are hired or begin working. The General Assembly of North Carolina enacted G.S. 110-90.2(b) which explains that CBC renewals are currently due for all employees every five years. I also explained that you must place the correct e-mail on the CBC application to ensure that your qualifying letter is received in a timely manner. I explained that you can renew criminal background checks up to six months ahead of time. I also recommended that you place renewal dates on a calendar, spreadsheet, or bulletin board to help keep you reminded of when it's time for renewals to be completed and this will help to maintain compliance in this area. There is a new feature that links criminal background applications to the facility. North Carolina child care administrators can now view and edit their facility’s staff roster in ABCMS, the DCDEE’s criminal background check system. Provider Access to ABCMS allows administrators to: • See the real-time background check status of staff members. • Run a printable report of the staff roster to assist with compliance visits. • See new background check applicants and add to staff roster. To get started, complete the ABCMS Child Care Provider Portal Training in Moodle—a video tutorial followed by a few questions. During today’s visit I observed a sample of the children’s work and verified that it relates to the current theme of study. The current theme is fall. The activities revolve around pumpkin investigations, fall vocabulary, and the weather. I reviewed the program, staff and children’s files checklist. I explained that these forms will assist you in maintaining compliance and providing quality care. All health and safety trainings have now been relocated from Pro-Solutions to Moodle on our website free of charge. To access training in the Moodle platform, you will need to login with your NCID - the same NCID that used for WORKS login, and/or the CBC Portal. I observed that all applicable staff have completed the 5-year renewal for the required health and safety trainings. Professional development training and education provides early childhood staff with the knowledge and skills needed to perform their duties and provide quality child care. Training is an on-going process which prepares educators to develop and expand upon their skills and knowledge. Pursuant to GS 110-90(1a) the Division establishes an annual fee for licensed child care facilities. The invoices for the fees are assessed based on your licensed capacity and mailed after the 1st of November every year. You will only receive one invoice and payment is due in FULL within 30 days. Please closely monitor your mail and be on the lookout for your invoice. If you have not received your invoice by November 15th you should contact the Division at 1-800-850-0829. Please don’t delay making your payment and be aware that Payment Plans are NOT available. In addition, please be aware that failure to pay a license fee within 30 days of receipt will result in late charges. If payments are made late and late charges are applied, the fee as well as the late charge must be resolved. Please be reminded that, failure to pay a license fee could also result in the facility's child care license being revoked. Please be reminded this year's Child Care Immunization Reports will be due sometime in the near future. Although a deadline date has not been determined at this time, I recommend that you begin to prepare your records for the report. Failure to submit an annual child care immunization report per G.S. 130A-155 will be reported to the Local Health Director for your county. If you have questions about the Child Care Immunization Report, please email Immunization.Reports@dhhs.nc.gov or call 919-707-5595. Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids is a program designed to identify and eliminate exposure to lead and asbestos hazards in building infrastructure. This program is an expansion of Clean Water for Carolina Kids, which previously tested all child care centers in the state for lead in water at drinking and food preparation taps. All facilities need to enroll for lead in paint and water and asbestos at www.cleanwaterforuskids.org/carolina by November 1, 2024, in order to be eligible for funding to cover costs of testing for lead in water and inspecting for asbestos and lead-based paint hazards. Additional information and sign up is available at www.cleanwaterforUSkids.org/carolina. You explained that you were in the process of completing the water testing and you are currently awaiting results. I reviewed that once the results are completed, maintain the documentation on file for review at a later date. Child care licensing requirements are established to ensure a safe and healthy child care environment. Therefore, it is important for you to be knowledgeable of all the licensing requirements that apply to your program. It is your responsibility to maintain compliance with all of the applicable laws and rules at all times. The best way for you to make sure that you are meeting all requirements is to periodically review the child care law and rules. I explained that you have access to the on-line version of the Child Care Rule Book, as well as a hard copy of the rules. I recommended that you visit the Division of Child Development's website (www.ncchildcare.nc.gov) on a regular basis to find out what's new in child care. You could also find any needed Child Care forms by going on the web site and clicking on the "Provider" tab and then clicking on the "Provider Documents" tab. If you have any questions, you can contact me at mashekia.raines@dhhs.nc.gov or 910-824-0137. If the operator fails to correct any documented violations within the established time period, the Division of Child Development and Early Education may deny, suspend, terminate, or revoke any permit to operate (10A NCAC 09 .2000). All information in this report has been reviewed with me today.I understand that it is my responsibility to maintaincompliance with applicable NC Child Care Requirements at all times