Alexandria Day Care Could Lose License After Repeated Violations

ALEXANDRIA, VA – An Alexandria day care has accumulated a list of serious violations during inspections over the past six months, including failing to inform parents of a communicable disease at the school, rough handling of children, falsifying injury reports to parents, allowing children to consume known allergens and more.

Since April, state inspections at the Goddard School of Alexandria Old Town have turned up violations during the vast majority of visits.

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During an inspection on Sept. 30, state records show that the center was twice informed of cases of communicable disease and failed to inform parents within 24 hours. In one instance, the center was informed of a case of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease in writing, but did not inform the parents of children exposed to the disease until five days later. In the second instance, a parent had verbally notified the center of a communicable disease, but no notice was sent to parents informing them of possible exposure.

During an inspection on Sept. 3, state documents say that while a child was eating a food containing a known allergen, a staff member went with another child into the bathroom, allowing a third two-year-old child to pick up a food they were allergic to off the floor and begin eating it. The same child had apparently been allowed to eat an allergen in April.

The same September inspection found two uncovered outlets in a multipurpose room used by children.

In August, an inspection revealed that the prior month, a staff member had roughly pulled a three-year-old child's arm twice in an attempt to get the child to line up.

In July, an inspection revealed that months earlier, a staff member had swatted an eight-month-old child on the bottom while the child was crawling, in an effort to push the child out of an area. The child pitched forward and sustained a bump on its face. The staff were then allowed to omit details about how the accident had occurred when reporting it to parents.

In May, seven children with prescribed emergency medication were in the care of staff who had not had training in administering the medication. At the time, no staff at the center had received such training.

In April, mouse droppings were seen in six classrooms.

The inspections also found consistent paperwork violations having to do with maintaining appropriate background checks and other checks on staff.

In all cases, corrective actions were laid out by inspectors, and in some cases staff resigned.

The Virginia Department of Social Services issued a Notice of Intent to Revoke the License on Aug. 27 as a result of the high-risk violations.

Schools are able to contest such processes and can enter into plans of corrective action in collaboration with the department.

The Goddard School hasn't responded to Patch's request for comment, and the Virginia Department of Social Services hasn't clarified whether the school's license will be revoked, will expire or will be renewed.

According to the department's website, the school's license is set to expire on Nov. 19.

The notice of intent to revoke should be displayed prominently at the school.

Goddard is a decades-old early childhood education national franchise that now numbers more than 650 schools, according to its website. They are national accredited by the global nonprofit Cognia.

The Goddard School of Alexandria - Old Town accepts children from six weeks old through kindergarten age for preschool, summer camps, language classes, private kindergarten classes and more. It also says it takes older children and provides expert teachers for homework assistance. The school promises a new, state-of-the-art facility, a nationally accredited curriculum and compassionate care for children.