LeafSpring School Charter Colony

8VAC20-780-350-B-1 · The staff-to-children ratio for children birth up to 16 months old is 1 staff for every 4 children.

During the week of August 18th 2025 there was only 1 staff member present in the classroom during naptime with 8 children. The youngest child in the room at that time was 15 months old.

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8VAC20-780-40-E · Repeat Violation

The operational responsibilities of the licensee shall include ensuring that the center's activities, services, and facilities are maintained in compliance with the centers own policies and procedures that are required by the standards. 1. The center's policy titled "Behavior Guidance Policy Agreement" states "Teachers are prohibited from using harsh and cruel treatment involving physical punishment, including but not limited to spanking, restraining movement, shaking/rough handling...all faculty/staff must assume a hands-off approach when discipling children, refraining from physical intervention with the child unless absolutely necessary to safeguard all children." 2. On April 23, 2025 staff #1 was observed abruptly putting child #3, age 2 years, down on their cot while loudly saying ?It?s time for nap! Lay down now! I?m not playing!? 3. On April 23, 2025 staff #1 was observed physically hurrying child #2, age 2 years, out of the bathroom by placing their hand on the middle of the child?s upper back while loudly saying, ?Go to your cot! It's time for nap!". The child stumbled when pushed by staff #1.

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8VAC20-780-40-E · Repeat Violation

The operational responsibilities of the licensee shall include ensuring that the center?s activities, services, and facilities are maintained in compliance with the center?s own policies and procedures that are required by the standards. 1. The center?s policy titled "Behavior Guidance Policy Agreement", signed by staff #1, states: "Teachers are prohibited from using harsh and cruel treatment involving physical punishment, including but not limited to spanking, restraining movement, shaking/rough handling, ...all faculty/staff must assume a hands-off approach when disciplining children, refraining from physical intervention with the child unless absolutely necessary to safeguard all children. 2. Staff #1 was observed on multiple occasions hitting 2-year-old children with books and pillows. 3. Staff #1 was observed forcefully pulling child #3 and child #5, both 2 years of age, on two separate occasions causing the children to fall. Staff #1 continued to drag the children across the room. 4. Staff #1 was observed forcefully sitting a 2-year-old child down. 5. Staff #1 was observed throwing a toy across the room which hit child #4, age 2 years, in the head.

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8VAC20-780-570-E · Prepared infant formula shall be refrigerated, dated and labeled with the child's name.

The refrigerator in the infant room had a zip lock bag with four bottles with prepared infant formula. The bottles were labeled with the child's name but were not dated.

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22.1-289.035-B-4 · The center is required to obtain background checks from any state in which the individual has resided in the preceding five years.

The center did not request a criminal history check from a state that staff #2 lived in the preceding five years. Staff #2 has been employed for 2 weeks.

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8VAC20-780-40-E · Repeat Violation

Based on interviews, review of written statements, and documentation review, the center failed to follow the centers own policies and procedures. Evidence: 1. Written statements, and interviews with staff #2 and staff #3 revealed that on 08/9/2024 staff #1 was observed grabbing child #1, age 2 years, by the arm directly above the elbow and then by the shirt to force the child to sit in time-out because the child was throwing mulch. The child began crying when the child was grabbed and forced to sit down. 2. The centers policy titled "Behavior Guidance Policy Agreement", signed by staff #1 states "teachers are prohibited from using harsh and cruel treatment involving physical punishment, including but not limited to spanking, restraining movement, shaking/rough handling, ...all faculty/staff must assume a hands-off approach when disciplining children, refraining from physical intervention with the child unless absolutely necessary to safeguard all children."

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8VAC20-780-500-B · Based on interviews, the center failed to ensure that children younger than three years are diapered on a changing table or countertop designated for changing.

Evidence: Interviews with staff #1 and staff #5 revealed that children under the age of three have their diapers changed while the children are standing up. The children are not placed on the changing table to be changed.

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8VAC20-780-270-A · Based on observation, the center failed to ensure that areas and equipment of the center, inside and outside, shall be maintained in a clean, safe, and operable condition.

Evidence: The toddler playground contained a tree with several wooden stakes tied to it. The wooden stakes were approximately 2 feet in height and were staked into the ground and pointing out diagonally. The tree was located on a small hill on the toddler playground accessible to the toddler children. The stakes had rough, pointed edges that could snag skin.

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8VAC20-780-40-E · Based on interviews, the center failed to follow the centers own policies and procedures.

Evidence: 1. Interviews on 12/06/23 and 12/11/23 with staff #2 and staff #1 revealed that staff #1 hit child #1, age two years, on the back out of frustration because child #1 would not put their shoes on. When staff #1 hit child #1, child #1 fell out of their chair and hit their head on the table. 2. Interview with staff #3 on 12/15/23 revealed that on 11/28/23 staff #1 was observed hitting a child on the hand and yelling "stop!" while in the lunch room. 2. The centers policy titled "Behavior Guidance Policy Agreement", signed by staff #1 on 10/30/23, states "teachers are prohibited from using harsh and cruel treatment involving physical punishment, including but not limited to spanking, restraining movement, shaking/rough handling, ..all faculty/staff must assume a hands-off approach when disciplining children, refraining from physical intervention with the child unless absolutely necessary to safeguard all children."

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8VAC20-780-40-E · Based on interviews, and documentation review, the center failed to follow the centers own policies and procedures.

Evidence: 1. The centers policy titled "child accountability" states that "every time the class or any part of the class moves from one area to another (e.g., classroom to Dining Room...), attendance must be verified by taking roll, matching a name with a face, at the following times: before transitioning from any area, immediately upon arrival at the destination location." It further states that "when more than one teacher is transitioning a group of children, one teacher must lead the group, and one teacher must be immediately behind the group to ensure children remain accounted for." 2. Interviews with staff #1, staff #2, staff #3, and staff #4, and review of written statements from staff #2, staff #3, and staff #4 revealed that on 10/02/2023 staff #3 transitioned 10 children from classroom #1 to the dining room. Staff #2 arrived in the dining room approximately 20 minutes later. At approximately 8:45 am there were 17 children signed into the weekly sign in/sign out sheet. Staff #2 and staff #3 transitioned the group of children from the dining room to classroom #1 at approximately 8:50 am. Staff #3 was at the front of the line and staff #2 was at the back of the line. 3. Interviews with staff #2 and staff #3, and review of written statements, revealed that staff #2 and staff #3 did not conduct a name to face attendance verification when they transitioned the class from the dining room to the classroom and did not conduct a name to face attendance verification when they entered the classroom. 4. Staff #4 went into the dining room with a group of children at approximately 9:00 am. Child #1, age 3 years, was found alone in the dining room eating food. Staff #4 alerted staff #1 that the child was alone in the dining room. Staff #1 escorted child #1 to the classroom.

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8VAC20-780-270-A · Based on observation, the center did not ensure areas and equipment of the center, were maintained in a clean, safe and operable condition.

Evidence: The Infant B classroom had several segments of carpet that were curled up and raised, presenting a tripping hazard to children in care.

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