G.S. 110-90 · Violation

Name of Operation: HIDDENITE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - NC PRE-K Facility ID: 02000111 Consultant: MERIA WILDER Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 2/3/2025 Number Present: 14 Completed Date: 2/3/2025 Age: From 4 To 5 Total Minutes: 200 Time In: 10:10 AM Time Out: 01:30 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 your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit, including compliance with requirements located in Child Care Rule Section .3000 in classroom space D, where children participating in the NC Pre-K program are cared for. Donnie Elder, Lead Teacher, assisted me with today’s visit. The last annual compliance visit was conducted on February 6, 2024. Your facilities compliance history score was 99% as of January 27, 2025. I reviewed with you today the facility information found in our system. You stated that there have been no changes to your phone number, email address, mailing address, or corporate contact for the facility. I reviewed the facility permit with you today. Your program currently operates with a five-star license, issued July 22, 2021, earning 7 points in education, 7 points in program standards and 1 quality point. Your facility operates with the following permit restrictions: daytime care only, meets enhanced ratios, meets enhanced space, reduced staff/child ratios by 1 child per group. The following required postings were prominently posted throughout the classroom: Five-star rated license, NC Summary of Child Care Law dated September 2023, safe arrival and departure procedure, First Aid poster, sanitation placard, tobacco free signage, daily schedule, menu, emergency numbers, and the Emergency Medical Care Plan. Adequate/approved space, capacity, supervision, staff/child ratios, group size, and appropriate discipline were observed today. Your most recent fire inspection was conducted on September 26, 2024, and your most recent sanitation inspection was completed December 19, 2024, with a “Superior” classification. On December 19, 2024, you completed a lockdown emergency drill. I monitored your incident report log, and playground inspections. Screen time was logged on your activity plan. Daily sign in/out sheets and attendance were monitored. You stated that your program uses the Hiddenite Elementary School Risk Management Plan for the 2024-2025 school year. Your program was also monitored for compliance with NC Pre-K requirements including: The Creative Curriculum being used as the approved curriculum as required for all four and five star licensed facilities where four-year-old children are enrolled. Today I visited your indoor and outdoor space. Children were interacting positively with their teachers and peers as they participated in free choice play, toileting routines, transitions and whole group learning. Teacher interactions with children were positive and nurturing. The lunch listed on the menu for today included gold mountain ham and potato with cheese, apple sauce, cornbread muffin glazed carrots, and 1% unflavored white milk. The NC Pre-K requirements in section .3000 of the child care rules were monitored for compliance. The NC Pre-K Program Site Monitoring Tool was reviewed today. Staff-child ratios and maximum group sizes required in Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09 .3009 were verified in compliance. The current NC PreK staff includes the lead teacher, Donnie Elder and the teacher, Hannah Bentley. A selection of files was monitored for having completed health assessments and developmental screenings. You stated you were in the process of completing the ASQ and the Dial 4 formative assessments. The center uses the Teaching Strategies Gold instrument to document evidence of children's ongoing progress. Checkpoint assessments are conducted three times per year: at the beginning, middle and end of the school year. There was one (1) emergency medication, one (1) medication permission to administer form and one (1) Medical Action plan to monitor. Your facility does not provide transportation. A random sampling of two (2) children’s records were monitored. I monitored two (2) existing staff files. All health and safety requirements were monitored. The “Annual Compliance Monitoring Checklist for Child Care Centers” was used during today’s visit. The following violation was cited during today’s visit. Violation Number Comment Rule 1329 Application for enrollment did not include all required information. One (1) child with a DOB of 11/30/2019 had not checked the box on the child’s application in the health care needs section to indicate if the child has a Medical Action Plan attached to the children’s record. .0801(a)(1-7) Child Care programs are expected to achieve and maintain compliance at all times and are required by NC GS 110-90(4) (d) to achieve and maintain an eighteen-month compliance history score of at least seventy-five percent. Any violation(s) documented may impact the compliance history score. The violation(s) documented must be corrected immediately. On or before February 17, 2025, I must receive a written, dated, and signed compliance letter that describes accurately and in detail, how and when the violations were corrected. Please be aware that any information submitted by you is considered legal documentation. If it is determined the information provided in the letter is not true, this may be considered falsification of information. If sufficient information is not received by the due date, a follow-up visit will be conducted. Mail or email the information to: Meria Wilder, Child Care Consultant P.O. Box 6591 Statesville, NC 28677 meria.wilder@dhhs.nc.gov If you email the compliance letter, it must be sent from the email address registered with the DCDEE (this serves as your signature) and the following information must be included: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Child Care ID # 12345678 Technical Assistance: • One (1) child with a DOB of 11/30/2019 had not checked the box on the child’s application in the health care needs section to indicate if the child has a Medical Action Plan attached to the children’s record. As discussed, all items in the children’s record should be addressed. If a line item does not apply, that line item should indicate “N/A” for not applicable. I suggest that all children’s records be reviewed multiple times by different staff members prior to filing that child’s file to ensure that all items have been addressed. Consultation: • Fire inspections are to be sent to the consultant within 7 business days of the inspection being completed. If the fire inspection report is not sent to the consultant within 7 business days a violation will be cited at the next monitoring visit. • One (1) staff member has Health and Safety Training requirements that will come due in September of 2025. • Stay updated with changes and new rule updates by visiting DCDEE new website at http://ncchildcare.nc.gov/general/home.asp. • When reviewing staff files, you may utilize the school’s Off Site Verification Forms which identifies information that is stored off site. The bulleted items identified on the form is not required to be maintained in the file of that staff member as long as that staff members name and date of employment is listed on the employee roster that should be attached to the form. The information that is stored “off-site” should be available upon the consultant’s request in the event that the consultant would need to verify that information. That Off Site Verification Form should be updated annually and/or as staff members are hired. • Located on the DCDEE website there is an editable form of the staff and training worksheet that you may utilize when completing the staff and training worksheet to assist you with being prepared for your upcoming monitoring visits. This document can be downloaded to your computer and completed electronically. • Visit NC Child Care Health and Safety Resource Center at http://healthychildcare.unc.edu to find the following resources: technical assistance, coaching support, resources, handwashing and diapering posters, monthly newsletters, and a list of approved in-service trainings including, but not limited to, ITS-SIDS training and Emergency Preparedness and Response in Child Care training. • In other great news, at the urging of NCLCCA and our members and advocates, state legislators approved Senate Bill 425 today (June 27, which extends the “hold-harmless” period for licensed child care providers’ star ratings and the ongoing pause on mandatory Rated-License assessments until a new, modernized QRIS (star-rating system) is implemented. (DCDEE does not expect it to be ready before at least the fall of 2025.) This means that NO licensed child care providers have to undergo a Rated-License assessment after June 30, not even those in “Cohort 1.” Effectively, there is no longer a plan to resume assessments until after we have a new QRIS system, which the NC Child Care Commission is currently working to implement through rulemaking. Senate Bill 425 still has to be signed by the governor to take effect, but Governor Cooper is expected to sign it before the June 30 deadline that would have eliminated the “hold-harmless” period and pause on assessments. This is a huge relief for licensed child care providers statewide and a testament to the power of advocacy when work together! Senate Bill 425 also immediately implements the new accreditation pathway for achieving star-ratings, meaning that once Governor Cooper signs the bill, any licensed child care program with the following early childhood accreditations will automatically receive a 5-Star rating – without having to do anything else. • 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 (919) 814-8401 and someone will assist you. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you. Contact me Meria Wilder, Child Care Consultant, by email at meria.wilder@dhhs.nc.gov, 980-434-3877 or Erin Pickard, Licensing Supervisor, erin.pickard@dhhs.nc.gov if you have questions. Thank you for your time and assistance with today's visit. 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.

NC GS 110-90 · Violation

Name of Operation: HIDDENITE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - NC PRE-K Facility ID: 02000111 Consultant: MERIA WILDER Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 2/3/2025 Number Present: 14 Completed Date: 2/3/2025 Age: From 4 To 5 Total Minutes: 200 Time In: 10:10 AM Time Out: 01:30 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 your program for compliance with applicable child care requirements for an annual compliance visit, including compliance with requirements located in Child Care Rule Section .3000 in classroom space D, where children participating in the NC Pre-K program are cared for. Donnie Elder, Lead Teacher, assisted me with today’s visit. The last annual compliance visit was conducted on February 6, 2024. Your facilities compliance history score was 99% as of January 27, 2025. I reviewed with you today the facility information found in our system. You stated that there have been no changes to your phone number, email address, mailing address, or corporate contact for the facility. I reviewed the facility permit with you today. Your program currently operates with a five-star license, issued July 22, 2021, earning 7 points in education, 7 points in program standards and 1 quality point. Your facility operates with the following permit restrictions: daytime care only, meets enhanced ratios, meets enhanced space, reduced staff/child ratios by 1 child per group. The following required postings were prominently posted throughout the classroom: Five-star rated license, NC Summary of Child Care Law dated September 2023, safe arrival and departure procedure, First Aid poster, sanitation placard, tobacco free signage, daily schedule, menu, emergency numbers, and the Emergency Medical Care Plan. Adequate/approved space, capacity, supervision, staff/child ratios, group size, and appropriate discipline were observed today. Your most recent fire inspection was conducted on September 26, 2024, and your most recent sanitation inspection was completed December 19, 2024, with a “Superior” classification. On December 19, 2024, you completed a lockdown emergency drill. I monitored your incident report log, and playground inspections. Screen time was logged on your activity plan. Daily sign in/out sheets and attendance were monitored. You stated that your program uses the Hiddenite Elementary School Risk Management Plan for the 2024-2025 school year. Your program was also monitored for compliance with NC Pre-K requirements including: The Creative Curriculum being used as the approved curriculum as required for all four and five star licensed facilities where four-year-old children are enrolled. Today I visited your indoor and outdoor space. Children were interacting positively with their teachers and peers as they participated in free choice play, toileting routines, transitions and whole group learning. Teacher interactions with children were positive and nurturing. The lunch listed on the menu for today included gold mountain ham and potato with cheese, apple sauce, cornbread muffin glazed carrots, and 1% unflavored white milk. The NC Pre-K requirements in section .3000 of the child care rules were monitored for compliance. The NC Pre-K Program Site Monitoring Tool was reviewed today. Staff-child ratios and maximum group sizes required in Child Care Rule 10A NCAC 09 .3009 were verified in compliance. The current NC PreK staff includes the lead teacher, Donnie Elder and the teacher, Hannah Bentley. A selection of files was monitored for having completed health assessments and developmental screenings. You stated you were in the process of completing the ASQ and the Dial 4 formative assessments. The center uses the Teaching Strategies Gold instrument to document evidence of children's ongoing progress. Checkpoint assessments are conducted three times per year: at the beginning, middle and end of the school year. There was one (1) emergency medication, one (1) medication permission to administer form and one (1) Medical Action plan to monitor. Your facility does not provide transportation. A random sampling of two (2) children’s records were monitored. I monitored two (2) existing staff files. All health and safety requirements were monitored. The “Annual Compliance Monitoring Checklist for Child Care Centers” was used during today’s visit. The following violation was cited during today’s visit. Violation Number Comment Rule 1329 Application for enrollment did not include all required information. One (1) child with a DOB of 11/30/2019 had not checked the box on the child’s application in the health care needs section to indicate if the child has a Medical Action Plan attached to the children’s record. .0801(a)(1-7) Child Care programs are expected to achieve and maintain compliance at all times and are required by NC GS 110-90(4) (d) to achieve and maintain an eighteen-month compliance history score of at least seventy-five percent. Any violation(s) documented may impact the compliance history score. The violation(s) documented must be corrected immediately. On or before February 17, 2025, I must receive a written, dated, and signed compliance letter that describes accurately and in detail, how and when the violations were corrected. Please be aware that any information submitted by you is considered legal documentation. If it is determined the information provided in the letter is not true, this may be considered falsification of information. If sufficient information is not received by the due date, a follow-up visit will be conducted. Mail or email the information to: Meria Wilder, Child Care Consultant P.O. Box 6591 Statesville, NC 28677 meria.wilder@dhhs.nc.gov If you email the compliance letter, it must be sent from the email address registered with the DCDEE (this serves as your signature) and the following information must be included: name, position, facility name, and facility ID number. An example is: Jane Doe, Administrator AAA Child Care ID # 12345678 Technical Assistance: • One (1) child with a DOB of 11/30/2019 had not checked the box on the child’s application in the health care needs section to indicate if the child has a Medical Action Plan attached to the children’s record. As discussed, all items in the children’s record should be addressed. If a line item does not apply, that line item should indicate “N/A” for not applicable. I suggest that all children’s records be reviewed multiple times by different staff members prior to filing that child’s file to ensure that all items have been addressed. Consultation: • Fire inspections are to be sent to the consultant within 7 business days of the inspection being completed. If the fire inspection report is not sent to the consultant within 7 business days a violation will be cited at the next monitoring visit. • One (1) staff member has Health and Safety Training requirements that will come due in September of 2025. • Stay updated with changes and new rule updates by visiting DCDEE new website at http://ncchildcare.nc.gov/general/home.asp. • When reviewing staff files, you may utilize the school’s Off Site Verification Forms which identifies information that is stored off site. The bulleted items identified on the form is not required to be maintained in the file of that staff member as long as that staff members name and date of employment is listed on the employee roster that should be attached to the form. The information that is stored “off-site” should be available upon the consultant’s request in the event that the consultant would need to verify that information. That Off Site Verification Form should be updated annually and/or as staff members are hired. • Located on the DCDEE website there is an editable form of the staff and training worksheet that you may utilize when completing the staff and training worksheet to assist you with being prepared for your upcoming monitoring visits. This document can be downloaded to your computer and completed electronically. • Visit NC Child Care Health and Safety Resource Center at http://healthychildcare.unc.edu to find the following resources: technical assistance, coaching support, resources, handwashing and diapering posters, monthly newsletters, and a list of approved in-service trainings including, but not limited to, ITS-SIDS training and Emergency Preparedness and Response in Child Care training. • In other great news, at the urging of NCLCCA and our members and advocates, state legislators approved Senate Bill 425 today (June 27, which extends the “hold-harmless” period for licensed child care providers’ star ratings and the ongoing pause on mandatory Rated-License assessments until a new, modernized QRIS (star-rating system) is implemented. (DCDEE does not expect it to be ready before at least the fall of 2025.) This means that NO licensed child care providers have to undergo a Rated-License assessment after June 30, not even those in “Cohort 1.” Effectively, there is no longer a plan to resume assessments until after we have a new QRIS system, which the NC Child Care Commission is currently working to implement through rulemaking. Senate Bill 425 still has to be signed by the governor to take effect, but Governor Cooper is expected to sign it before the June 30 deadline that would have eliminated the “hold-harmless” period and pause on assessments. This is a huge relief for licensed child care providers statewide and a testament to the power of advocacy when work together! Senate Bill 425 also immediately implements the new accreditation pathway for achieving star-ratings, meaning that once Governor Cooper signs the bill, any licensed child care program with the following early childhood accreditations will automatically receive a 5-Star rating – without having to do anything else. • 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 (919) 814-8401 and someone will assist you. At the completion of the visit, this visit summary was printed, reviewed, and a copy was left with you. Contact me Meria Wilder, Child Care Consultant, by email at meria.wilder@dhhs.nc.gov, 980-434-3877 or Erin Pickard, Licensing Supervisor, erin.pickard@dhhs.nc.gov if you have questions. Thank you for your time and assistance with today's visit. 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.