VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

Courthouse Academy
3217 Monet Drive
Virginia beach, VA 23453
(757) 368-0368

Current Inspector: Rene Old (757) 404-1784

Inspection Date: Dec. 6, 2019 and Dec. 19, 2019

Complaint Related: No

Areas Reviewed:

22VAC40-185 ADMINISTRATION. 22VAC40-185 STAFF QUALIFICATIONS AND TRAINING. 22VAC40-185 PHYSICAL PLANT. 22VAC40-185 STAFFING AND SUPERVISION. 22VAC40-185 PROGRAMS. 22VAC40-191 Background Checks (22VAC40-191) 63.2 Child Abuse & Neglect 63.2(17) License & Registration Procedures

Comments:

An unannounced monitoring inspection was conducted on 12/06/2019 from 12:25 pm - 2:50 pm in response to a self-reported incident of inappropriate behavior guidance that occurred on 12/05/2019. The inspector returned to the facility on 12/19/2019 for one additional staff interview. Based on the information gathered which included staff interviews, review of center video, record review and classroom observation this allegation is found to be valid. Violations were observed in two parts of the CDC standards and are listed on the violation notice. These violations were reviewed with the center director at the exit interview.

Violations:

Standard #:	22VAC40-185-340-A
Description:	Based on interview and video review, the center failed to ensure that when staff are supervising children, they shall always ensure their care, protection, and guidance. Evidence: 1. A review of center video shows child 1, age five years, exit the classroom, from the open entry door, into the hallway on 12/05/2019 at approximately 1:15 pm. Staff 1 and staff 3 fail to check on child 1 for approximately two minutes. a. The video shows staff 1 walk out into the hallway approximately two minutes after child 1 left the room. 2. Child 1 was not supervised by staff 1 and staff 3 who were responsible for his care. These staff were not aware of child 1's actual location or actions during his time outside of their classroom.
Plan of Correction:	Courthouse Academy provided training to Staff 1 on November 12, 2019 after having a conversation with Staff 1 about needing techniques for classroom management and strategies for working with challenging children in the classroom. The administration at Courthouse Academy brought in an early childhood training specialist to do a training specifically geared to Staff 1's concerns. Staff 1 was also given individual training with a mentor who has been with Courthouse Academy for 17 years and who has spent most of those years teaching the same age group as Staff 1. In the training they discussed classroom management, center time ideas, structure for the day to day and on what to do if the children do not seem engaged and cooperative in the activities of the day. At the beginning of the year all team members at Courthouse Academy are trained and then retrained at each monthly staff meeting. During these meetings they are repeatedly reminded to count the children and to call admin if they feel overwhelmed in their classroom and need a break. Courthouse Academy does not tolerate physical punishment and when administration saw the footage of the behavior of Staff 1, Staff 1 was immediately terminated. All team members are trained on the policies and procedures of Courthouse Academy and have signed documentation verifying the training, which is in their files. Courthouse Academy called a mandatory staff meeting on December 9, 2019 to remind and retrain the staff on the policies and procedures of losing a child, physical punishment of a child, classroom management and what to do if they are overwhelmed and need to come out of the classroom to regroup. Courthouse Academy has been successful in training the staff as there has never been a similar incident since the opening of the school in 1992. This is a situation in which Staff 1 failed to follow and implement the training and policies despite the best efforts of the administration at Courthouse Academy.
Standard #:	22VAC40-185-400-B
Description:	Based on interview and review of video the center failed to ensure that behavioral guidance shall be constructive in nature, age and stage appropriate, and shall be intended to redirect children to appropriate behavior and resolve conflicts. Evidence: 1. Staff 1 stated that child 1, age five years, was upset because another child had taken away his toy. a. "He needed a minute so he went out of the classroom and into the hallway" according to staff 1. b. Staff 1 stated that when she went to retrieve child 1 from the hallway he refused to come back into the classroom. c. Staff 2 stated she observed staff 1 come into the hallway and say, "Get back in this classroom." When child 1 said, "No." staff 2 stated that staff 1 told child 1, " You are testing the Jesus in me today boy." 2. Staff 1 explained that she had to grab child 1 by the arm in order to get him back into the classroom. "I grabbed him under his arm and he went into a dead limp so I had to lift him." "I pulled him along into the room." "I pushed him against my body and I plopped him down on the floor." 3. The video shows child 1 lying on the floor crying after this exchange with staff 1.
Plan of Correction:	Courthouse Academy provided training to Staff 1 on November 12, 2019 after having a conversation with Staff 1 about needing techniques for classroom management and strategies for working with challenging children in the classroom. The administration at Courthouse Academy brought in an early childhood training specialist to do a training specifically geared to Staff 1's concerns. Staff 1 was also given individual training with a mentor who has been with Courthouse Academy for 17 years and who has spent most of those years teaching the same age group as Staff 1. In the training they discussed classroom management, center time ideas, structure for the day to day and on what to do if the children do not seem engaged and cooperative in the activities of the day. At the beginning of the year all team members at Courthouse Academy are trained and then retrained at each monthly staff meeting. During these meetings they are repeatedly reminded to count the children and to call admin if they feel overwhelmed in their classroom and need a break. Courthouse Academy does not tolerate physical punishment and when administration saw the footage of the behavior of Staff 1, Staff 1 was immediately terminated. All team members are trained on the policies and procedures of Courthouse Academy and have signed documentation verifying the training, which is in their files. Courthouse Academy called a mandatory staff meeting on December 9, 2019 to remind and retrain the staff on the policies and procedures of losing a child, physical punishment of a child, classroom management and what to do if they are overwhelmed and need to come out of the classroom to regroup. Courthouse Academy has been successful in training the staff as there has never been a similar incident since the opening of the school in 1992. This is a situation in which Staff 1 failed to follow and implement the training and policies despite the best efforts of the administration at Courthouse Academy.
Standard #:	22VAC40-185-410-1
Description:	Based on video review and interview, the center failed to ensure that physical punishment such as roughly handling a child is not administered. Evidence: 1. Staff 2 stated that she observed child 1, age five years, standing alone in a hallway outside of his classroom at approximately 1:05 pm on 12/05/2019. a. Staff 2 stated she then observed staff 1 come into the hallway and say, "Get back in this classroom." Child 1 said, "No." b. Staff 2 stated when child 1 refused to come back into his classroom, staff 1 "grabbed him by his arm/wrist area and drug him approximately three feet down the hallway and through the classroom door." Child 1 was not standing on his feet when he was dragged according to staff 2. c. Staff 2 added that child 1 was crying and that she was "shocked and flabbergasted" at how staff 1 had grabbed child 1. 2. Facility video of this incident showed the following at approximately 1:17 pm on 12/05/2019. a. Staff 1 walks into the hallway and comes back into the classroom as she is dragging child 1 by his arm. Child 1 is lifted up to the point that his feet are off the floor. b. Staff 1 drags child 1 to the middle of the classroom and drops him on the floor and walks away. 3. The video additionally shows the following at approximately 1:29 pm: a. Staff 1 is reading a story to the class while child 1 wanders around the classroom. b. At approximately 1:29 pm child 1 climbs up on the table located behind staff 1. c. Staff 1 slides her chair back and grabs child 1 by the leg and then the arm and swings him around to the floor.
Plan of Correction:	Courthouse Academy provided training to Staff 1 on November 12, 2019 after having a conversation with Staff 1 about needing techniques for classroom management and strategies for working with challenging children in the classroom. The administration at Courthouse Academy brought in an early childhood training specialist to do a training specifically geared to Staff 1's concerns. Staff 1 was also given individual training with a mentor who has been with Courthouse Academy for 17 years and who has spent most of those years teaching the same age group as Staff 1. In the training they discussed classroom management, center time ideas, structure for the day to day and on what to do if the children do not seem engaged and cooperative in the activities of the day. At the beginning of the year all team members at Courthouse Academy are trained and then retrained at each monthly staff meeting. During these meetings they are repeatedly reminded to count the children and to call admin if they feel overwhelmed in their classroom and need a break. Courthouse Academy does not tolerate physical punishment and when administration saw the footage of the behavior of Staff 1, Staff 1 was immediately terminated. All team members are trained on the policies and procedures of Courthouse Academy and have signed documentation verifying the training, which is in their files. Courthouse Academy called a mandatory staff meeting on December 9, 2019 to remind and retrain the staff on the policies and procedures of losing a child, physical punishment of a child, classroom management and what to do if they are overwhelmed and need to come out of the classroom to regroup. Courthouse Academy has been successful in training the staff as there has never been a similar incident since the opening of the school in 1992. This is a situation in which Staff 1 failed to follow and implement the training and policies despite the best efforts of the administration at Courthouse Academy.