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The Woods, A Montessori School

Inspection · 2025-06-04

Date
2025-06-04
Complaint Related
No
Licensing Inspector
Sharon Allen
(540) 272-2941
SHSIA monitoring inspection of an approved subsidy vendor to determine compliance with current subsidy requirements regarding the health and safety of children and to promote quality standards for the children in their care.
No

Areas Reviewed

8VAC20-780 Administration
8VAC20-780 Staff Qualifications and Training.
8VAC20-780 Physical Plant.
8VAC20-780 Staffing and Supervision.
8VAC20-780 Programs.
8VAC20-780 Special Care Provisions and Emergencies
8VAC20-780 Special Services.
8VAC20-820 THE LICENSE.
8VAC20-820 THE LICENSING PROCESS.
8VAC20-820 HEARINGS PROCEDURES.
8VAC20-770 Background Checks
20 Access to minor?s records
22.1 Early Childhood Care and Education
63.2 Child Abuse & Neglect

During the inspection, the inspector reviewed the areas listed above to include standards found out of compliance during the previous inspection. Unless otherwise noted as a violation within this inspection report, the provider was in compliance with the standards reviewed. If there were any serious injuries or fatalities related to a violation, the details will be included in the description of the violation.

Inspector Notes

An unannounced, on-site renewal inspection was initiated and completed on 06/04/2025. The on-site inspection began at 10:30 a.m. and ended at 2:45 p.m. The inspector reviewed compliance in the areas listed above. There were 127 children present and 23 staff. The inspector reviewed ten children?s records and eight staff records on-site.

This inspection included:
? document review
? tour of the facility
? interviews
? observations

Information gathered during the inspection determined non-compliance with applicable standards or law, and violations are documented on the violation notice issued to the program.

Please complete the plan of correction (POC) and date to be corrected sections for each violation cited on the violation notice. Specify how the violation will be or has been corrected. Submit your POC within five (5) business days from today, which will be the close of business on 6/13/2025. A POC submitted after this date will not appear on the public website.

Violations

11
Standard 8VAC20-780-260-B
The facility is required to obtain approval from the health department annually.

The most recent environmental and sanitation inspection was dated 12/11/2023.
Plan of Correction: The school is actively working to schedule an updated inspection date.
Standard 8VAC20-780-270-A
The center shall ensure that areas and equipment of the center, inside and outside, shall be maintained in safe and operable condition.

A chair was observed in front of the bathroom with two large cracks on the seat that posed a pinching hazard.
Plan of Correction: The chair cited was disposed of at the time of inspection. New chair has been purchased and replaced.
Standard 8VAC20-780-280-B
REPEAT VIOLATION
Hazardous substances such as cleaning materials shall be kept in a locked place using a safe locking method that prevents access by children.

There were 3 bottles of cleaning solution, and 1 can of air freshener in an unlocked cabinet under the bathroom sink of room E.
Plan of Correction: Classroom staff indicated that the materials had been placed there by our cleaning company. The chemicals have been placed in a locked cabinet and the cleaners have been notified of this requirement.
Standard 8VAC20-780-500-B
Disposable diapers shall be disposed in a leakproof or plastic-lined storage system that is either foot-operated or used in such a way that neither the staff member's hand nor the soiled diaper touches an exterior surface of the storage system during disposal.

The Toddler B and Toddler C rooms were observed to have a diapering disposable system for the diaper area that require the staff member's hand or soiled diaper to touch the exterior surface of the diapering system.
Plan of Correction: New, foot operated trash cans were purchased. They will be installed in both Classroom B and Classroom C.
Standard 8VAC20-780-510-E
REPEAT VIOLATION
The center's medication procedures allow long term prescription and over-the-counter medication with written authorization from the child's physician and parent.

The record for child I did not contain written authorization from the child's parent for medication that was observed on site.
Plan of Correction: Medication without parental or doctor authorization was returned to the families June 6th.
Standard 8VAC20-780-510-I
REPEAT VIOLATION
Prescription medication may be administered provided the center administers only those drugs that were dispensed from a pharmacy and maintained in the original, labeled container.

The prescription medication on site for child G and child J did not have a prescription label.
Plan of Correction: Medication lacking appropriate labels were sent home on the last day of school, Friday, June 6th. Families were notified of the discrepancies and asked to bring new medication and forms if continued use is required.
Standard 8VAC20-780-510-P
When an authorization for medication expires, the facility shall notify parents that the medication must be picked up within 14 days of the authorization expiring or that a new authorization should be completed.

Child G, H, and J had medication onsite, but the medication authorization had expired for over 14 days. The authorization had not been renewed and the medication was not returned or disposed of as required.
Plan of Correction: All expired medication was sent home on the last day of school, Friday, June 6th. Families were notified of the expirations and asked to bring new medication and forms if continued use is required.
Standard 8VAC20-780-550-D
Evacuation procedures shall be practiced monthly.

The most recent evacuation drill was dated 03/27/2025.
Plan of Correction: Monthly, school-wide, evacuations occur, proper recording to be maintained moving forward.
Standard 8VAC20-780-550-F
The center is required to practice lockdown procedures annually.

The most recent lockdown drill was conducted 4/11/2024.
Plan of Correction: School-wide lockdowns have occurred without proper documentation. Forms for recording these lockdowns have been created and will be maintained.
Standard 8VAC20-780-60-A-8
REPEAT VIOLATION
A written care plan is required for each child with a diagnosed food allergy, to include instructions from a physician regarding the food to which the child is allergic and the steps to be taken in the event of a suspected or confirmed allergic reaction.

Child A, B, C, D, E, and F, all enrolled for more than eight months, have a diagnosed food allergy and did not have a written care plan, with instructions from a physician, in their file.
Plan of Correction: Families without written care plans have been notified and updated documents will be uploaded to their files, via Transparent Classroom, accordingly.
Standard 8VAC20-780-80-A
REPEAT VIOLATION
For each group of children, the center shall maintain a written record of daily attendance that documents the arrival and departure of each child in care as it occurs.

The attendance record was kept on a tablet that required internet, and did not have an accurate list for each group of children. In room A, 12 children were observed, and 14 children were listed on the electronic attendance record. In room C, 24 children were observed, and 23 children were listed on the electronic attendance record.
Plan of Correction: Written records are kept & were viewed during inspection. Correction to written records to accommodate for movement of children between classrooms, therapists, etc. was made at the bottom of the page.
View original record on Virginia Department of Social Services