Brush Creek Montessori School

Based on interview and record review of photo documentation, at least one child (C2) who tested positive for COVID-19 was present at the facility on “Day 5” or 04/03/24 and observed not wearing a mask, as required by the facilities COVID policy emailed to families on 04/01/24, which stated that any child testing positive for COVID-19 must mask and go home prior to nap time until “Day 6” or 04/04/24, which posed a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.

Based on interview and record review, a COVID-19 epidemic outbreak occurred at the facility beginning 03/29/24 and an outbreak of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease beginning on 05/20/24. The facility only informed families of the children who attended the classroom where the COVID-19 positive cases were reported and failed to report to the remaining families, and based on interview, children share space or combine together with another class daily. Based on interview, the facility only informed families of the children who attended the classrooms were a child had been diagnosed with Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease, beginning on 05/20/24, but did not inform all families of the outbreak until 05/27/24 through Dojo messaging and email on 05/29/24, although children from the effected group combine with another class daily, which posed a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.

Based on interviews conducted, S1 withheld clothing from C1,not providing C1 with the available classroom pants after having a bathroom accident on 04/04/24, which poses an immediate personal rights risk to the child in care. 8 Additionally, D1 will hold a staff meeting on 04/19/24 on the topic of personal rights to include watching the Community Care Licensing video on Personal Rights and review all Personal Rights regulations in detail with staff. D1 will submit a sign in sheet with staff signatures to LPA.

Based on interview with staff D1, S1, S2 and Adult 1 (A1) and a review of records, C1, a child over the age of 3 years, was attending and receiving care in a toddler classroom, commingling with toddler age children 18-36 months from as early as 01/08/24 – 03/15/24. Additionally, 6 children (C2-C7) were observed to be currently enrolled and attending care in a toddler age classroom and are over the age of 3 years, which poses a potential health, safety and/or personal rights risk to the children in care. Additionally, D1 will send an email to all families and LPA announcing the update to the Seedlings room and have authorized representatives of children in the Seedlings room update their admission agreements. D1 will send an updated sign in sheet for each classroom, to reflect that the two children (C6 & C7) that are over 3 years and currently enrolled in the Saplings room have been moved to either the Seedlings room or alternative primary classroom.

Based on statements provided by staff S2, S4, S5, S6 & S8 and a review of sign-in and staff scheduling records, the facility was operating over ratio on multiple days during the month of January, which posed a potential health, safety and/or personal rights risk to the children in care.

Based on interviews conducted the licensee failed to ensure staff were providing visual supervision of the children which resulted in Child 1 (C1) leaving the classroom unattended and entering an outdoor area that is not fully fenced, which posed an immediate Health , Safety or Personal Rights risk to the children in care. 8 by 10/06/23. S1 stated staff training will take place on 10/31/23 and a statement that a staff training on supervision was conducted with names and staff signatures will be submited to LPA by 11/01/23.

Based on interview D1 was aware of an incident where Child 1 (C1) left the Saplings classroom unsupervised, but did not report it to the Department and did not submit a written incident report timely as required. This poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.

A result with values of 5.5 ppb or greater shall be deemed an Action Level Exceedance. D1 made outdoor faucets, Site “J”, Site “P” and Site “Q30” inaccessible to children on 10/31/22 upon receiving notification of the lead exceedance, Site "Q30" was capped off, removing it from use on 11/13/22. Based on record review, the facility had three faucets (Site “J”, Site “P” and Site “Q30”) that exceeded that allowable levels of lead in the water (7.4, 10 and 72 ppb). This is a potential health and safety risk to children in care. 8 D1 stated she will have the plumber cap off Sites "J" and "P" by 12/16/22, and send photos of the capped off Sites to LPA Strother. amy.strother@dss.ca.gov

Based on observation, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above in 2 out of 4 classrooms and 1 out of 2 playgrounds. Cleaning compounds were accessible in the staff bathroom in the Redwood classroom and on the toddler yard in a storage box located on the ground, sharp knives were observed tucked back in drawers accessible to children in the Seedling and Amber classrooms, which poses a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.

Staff did not prevent outbreak of hand, foot, and mouth.

Staff did not notify parents of covid positive cases.

Child not given clothing

Commingling

Facility is operating out of ratio.

Daycare child was left unattended outside of the facility classroom