Benhaven Elementary School

G.S. 110-90 · Violation

Name of Operation: BENHAVEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Facility ID: 43000588 Consultant: MASHEKIA RAINES Operation Type: Center Case Number: Visit Date: 10/9/2025 Number Present: 35 Completed Date: 10/9/2025 Age: From 4 To 5 Total Minutes: 150 Time In: 11:30 AM Time Out: 02:00 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 Lead Teacher, Mrs. McCormick. I also met Mrs. McNeill, the new principal and administrator, for Benhaven Elementary School. I reviewed and collected the Preservice Requirements form for new administrators during the visit. 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 participating in story-time 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 08-08-2025. Your last sanitation inspection was dated 03-06-2025. 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 violations were observed during today’s visit; Violation Number Comment Rule 1041 Prior to employment a Criminal Background Check was not completed. T. Hunter, a substitute in the classroom for NC Pre-K children did not have a Criminal Background check prior to employment. G.S. 110-90.2(b) 1757 A valid qualification letter was not on file and available to review at the facility. T. Hunter, a substitute in the classroom for NC Pre-K children did not have an approved qualification letter on file. G.S. 110-90.2(b) & (d) & .2703(e) In response to the violation that was cited during today’s visit, I provided technical assistance and clarification on the following item; 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 one of the NC Pre-K substitutes, Tamara Hunter, had not completed the criminal background check process and obtained an approved qualifying letter. Due to the violation of requirement observed during the visit, I did not send the staff home, because it would leave the remaining teacher out of ratio. Once I notified the principal of the violations cited, she immediately removed the substitute from the classroom and replaced her with someone that had an approved qualifying letter on file. I verified that the new substitute was currently qualified and approved to substitute in the classroom for NC Pre-K children. You explained that moving forward you would not allow anyone to work in the classroom unless they had an approved qualifying letter on file. You completed a correction letter for me during today’s review and the violation was corrected during the visit. 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. Although violations were not observed or documented, clarification and technical assistance regarding the following items were reviewed; 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. 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. 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 fire safety. The activities revolve around learning about fires and how to remain safe in the event of a fire, along with various roles of fire safety at home and in the community. Please be reminded this year's Child Care Immunization Reports is due November 15th, 2025. 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. I reviewed section .3200 in the rule book, the new QRIS rules and procedures. I explained the new education standards, family and community engagement, and the CQI requirements along with each correlating pathway. You are currently licensed as a 5-star center, and I explained that your effective date on your license is 04/24/2024 and your next star license renewal is due prior to 04/24/2027. I recommend that you begin thinking about the desired pathway you choose to take and start working towards the requirements for that pathway and if you have any questions, you can contact me at my information below. 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 910-824-0137 or at mashekia.raines@dhhs.nc.gov. 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