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The Country Day School

Inspection · 2024-05-22

Date
2024-05-22
Complaint Related
Yes
Licensing Inspector
Mahrukh Aziz
(571) 835-4718
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.
22.1 Background Checks Code
63.2 Child abuse and neglect

Inspector Notes

An unannounced inspection was conducted on 5/22/24 from 11:15 am to 1:35pm. The inspection was conducted in response to a complaint with allegations related to behavioral guidance and staff to child interactions. Five staff members were interviewed, three staff files were reviewed, the center's policies were reviewed and classroom observations were made.
The evidence gathered during the investigation supported the allegation of non-compliance with standards or law and violations were issued. Please complete the ?plan of correction? and ?date to be corrected? for each violation cited on the violation notice and return it to the department within 5 business days from receipt. Please specify how the deficient practice will be or has been corrected. Please do not use staff names, list staff by positions only. Any plans of correction not received within 5 business days will result in the plans not appearing on the Violation Notice and public website. For any questions regarding this inspection, please contact me at (571)-835-4718 or mahrukh.aziz@doe.virginia.gov.

Violations

1
Standard 8VAC20-780-400-B
Based on staff interviews and records review, behavioral guidance used for children was not age and stage appropriate.
Evidence:
1. One of five staff interviewed stated that Staff # 1 has been heard using a "harsh and impatient tone" with children while they were being redirected. The staff member stated that between September and October 2023, Staff # 1 was overheard making statements to children that included the following: a. "If I hear my name again, I'll say my name over and over and over again" to a child who was trying to get Staff # 1's attention. b. "What made you think that would be a good idea to put that there. You need to sit right now. Get away from me". c. "Can't you see you're wrong?"
2. One of five staff interviewed stated that Staff # 1 has been observed using negative redirection towards the children. The staff member stated that Staff # 1 has been heard saying the word "Stop" with a harsh tone repeatedly when speaking to a child.
3. One of five staff interviewed stated that in October 2023, when Staff # 1 could be heard using a loud and harsh voice with the children in her classroom so that it could be heard in another room with doors closed. The staff member stated that Staff # 1 could be heard "constantly scolding", saying "I don't want to hear my name again". Staff # 1 was also heard saying to a child "Put your feet on the floor. Do you even know where the floor is".
4. Written documentation from one of five staff also states that Staff # 1 has been heard making verbal remarks to children such as the following: a. "What do you think you're doing?" b. "Be quiet now" c. "I'm in charge, not you" d. "I don't want to hear anyone make a sound for the next 5 minutes".
Plan of Correction: 1. The School will continue to perform regular training for its employees on the appropriate methods and means by which to provide behavioral guidance to students, with a particular focus on ensuring that all behavioral guidance be constructive in nature, age, and stage appropriate, and shall be intended to redirect children to appropriate behavior and resolving conflict; 2. The School will continue to perform ongoing observations and mentoring of its employees to ensure that they understand and consistently demonstrate an ability to provide appropriate behavioral guidance to students such that the guidance is constructive in nature, age, and stage appropriate, and redirects children to appropriate behavior and resolving conflict; 3. The School will review its written policies and procedures regarding expectations for interactions with students to ensure that they reinforce and reaffirm that employees are expected to provide appropriate behavioral guidance to children, as outlined above; and 4. Staff #I will not be employed by the School for 2024-2025 school year.
View original record on Virginia Department of Social Services