The Sand Castle Preschool
The Sand Castle Preschool is a licensed child care center in La Canada, CA, licensed for up to 154 children and serving preschool-age children. It has held its California license since 2016. Since February 2021, state licensing staff have inspected it 3 times and investigated 1 complaint, 1 of them substantiated. The state issued 7 citations, 1 of them Type A (the most serious), most often for records & paperwork (3 of 7). 1 citation came in the last 12 months, including 1 Type A. Measured by weighted citations per inspection, it is #16 of 17 centers in La Canada and has more citations per inspection than 88% of California licensed centers.
Inspection record
Every state visit
What inspectors cited most
Citations, newest first
Based on observations, records review and interview ,the licensee did not comply with the section cited above. During the file review, LPA observed staff member Emily Torres and Tania Flores did not obtain Criminal Record Clearance. Per Facility Representative, Per Director , both staff members been in the facility over a year, which poses an immediate health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Based on observation, interview, record review, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above in 7 out of 8 staff did not have Mandated Reporter certificates for LPA to review, which poses/posed a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Based on observation, interview, record review, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above in 2 out of 8 staff did not a health screening report for LPA to review, which poses/posed a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Based on observation, interview,record review, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above as staf files were in complete or were unavaible for LPA to review, which poses/posed a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Based on observation, interview, record review, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above in 1 out of 12 children did not obtain phyicians report, which poses/posed a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Based on observation, interview,record review, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above as the facility has children from a different facility occupy a classroom that is not being used by the facility, which poses/posed a potential health, safety or personal rights risk to persons in care.
Based on licensee's and parent #1 interviews and email communications among facility attorneys and parents#1. Parent#1 requested child#1's file on 03/23/2022, and received it on 04/11/2022. This poses a potential health and safety and personal right to children in care.
Complaint investigations
Authorized representative is not given access to child's records.
How often are complaints about daycares in Los Angeles County substantiated? See the county-by-county report →
About this center
Common questions
Does The Sand Castle Preschool take infants?
Not under this license, which covers preschool-age children.
Has The Sand Castle Preschool had any serious violations?
California issued 1 Type A citation since 2021, its most serious category. The most recent was on Apr 21, 2026, for criminal record clearance. Each citation is listed in full above.
Have there been complaints about The Sand Castle Preschool?
California investigated 1 complaint since 2021 and substantiated 1. Allegations are shown only for substantiated complaints.
How does The Sand Castle Preschool compare with other daycares in La Canada?
It is #16 of 17 centers in La Canada by weighted citations per inspection, and has more citations per inspection than 88% of California licensed centers with enough inspection history to compare.
When was The Sand Castle Preschool last inspected?
Apr 21, 2026. The state issued at least one citation during that visit.
How much does The Sand Castle Preschool cost?
California does not publish individual centers’ prices, so ask The Sand Castle Preschool for its current tuition. For comparison, the median full-time price at licensed centers in Los Angeles County, which includes La Canada, was $1,087 a month for preschoolers (about $1,370 today) in the state’s 2021 Regional Market Rate Survey.
Who runs The Sand Castle Preschool?
The licensee is Sand Castle Preschool, INC., The, and the administrator listed with the state is Angineh Hambarchian.
Licensed centers nearby
4490 Cornishon Ave, La Canada · under 0.1 mi away · 54 spotsToo few inspections to compareLighted Window Preschool.
1200 Foothill Boulevard, La Canada · under 0.1 mi away · 34 spotsAmong the most citedLighted Window Preschool, INC.
1200 Foothill Blvd., La Canada · under 0.1 mi away · 103 spotsAmong the most citedLa Canada Flintridge Youth House Comm. Ctr. Presch
4469 Chevy Chase Drive, La Canada · 0.2 mi away · 75 spotsNo citationsChild Educational Center, Caltech/Jpl Community
4540 Encinas Drive, La Canada · 0.3 mi away · 154 spotsNo citationsFoothill Progressive Montessori School
827 Houseman Street, La Canada · 0.4 mi away · 62 spotsMore citations than most
Citations are quoted from California Department of Social Services inspection and complaint reports. Type A citations are the state’s most serious category (an immediate risk to children’s health, safety or personal rights); Type B citations are a potential risk. A citation is a finding about one rule, not a judgment about a center overall. Complaint allegations appear here only when the state substantiated them.
To read the full state reports, search facility number 198018868 on the California Care Facility Search. Data refreshed Oct 3, 2026.
Comparing centers? See how to choose a daycare: 30 questions to ask and a printable checklist.