VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

The Merit School of Arlington (#69)
2201 North Pershing Drive
Suite K
Arlington, VA 22201
(571) 257-7660

Current Inspector: Laura Lunceford (571) 835-5058

Inspection Date: Aug. 9, 2024

Complaint Related: 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 (8VAC20-770) 20 Access to minor?s records 22.1 Background Checks Code, Carbon Monoxide 63.2 Child Abuse & Neglect 8VAC20-790 Subsidy Regulation

Technical Assistance:

Effective January 1, 2025, the VDOE will begin determining compliance with ? 22.1-289.057 of the Code of Virginia, which is legislation passed by the General Assembly in 2020. The law requires all licensed child day programs, religious exempt child day centers that serve preschool age children, and certified preschools to test potable drinking water. The law requires that programs submit their plans and test results to the Virginia Department of Health Office of Drinking Water (VDH ODW) and the Superintendent. If the results of the testing indicate elevated lead levels, the program shall remediate, retest, and resubmit results to VDH ODW and the Superintendent. There is an additional alternative bottled water option that comes with additional requirements. The statutory requirement can be found online at https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title22.1/chapter14.1/section22.1-289.057/. Resources are now available for providers on the "What's New" webpage on the ChildCareVA website at https://www.childcare.virginia.gov/providers/what-s-new.

Comments:

An unannounced , on-site monitoring inspection was initiated on July 29, 2024 and completed on July 29, 2024. The on-site inspection began at 11:15am and ended at 1:43pm. The inspector reviewed compliance in the areas listed above. There were 41 children present and 12 staff. The inspector reviewed 6 children's records and 5 staff records on-site. The inspection included document review, a tour of the facility, interviews and observations. Information gathered during the inspection determined non-compliance with applicable standards or law, and violation 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 deficient practice will be or had been corrected. Submit your POC within five business days from today, which will be the close of business on August 13, 2024. A POC submitted after this date will not appear on the public website. If you have any questions regarding this inspection, please contact Laura Lunceford at 571-835-5058 or laura.lunceford@doe.virginia.gov

Violations:

Standard #:	8VAC20-780-80-A
Description:	Based on record review, there was no documentation of a written record of daily attendance. Evidence: The attendance record documentation did not accurately reflect the numbers of children in the center in four rooms (Infant, Stepping Stones, Montessori A and B) at the time of inspection.
Plan of Correction:	Teachers have been retrained on ensuring the written attendance and PROCARE (attendance software) matches.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-240-B
Description:	Based on record review, there was no documentation of orientation training prior to staff members working alone with children and no later than seven days of assuming job responsibilities. Evidence: Staff A, hire date June 10, 2024, had no documentation of orientation in the record. Staff B, hire date October 24, 2023, had no documentation of orientation in the record.
Plan of Correction:	Staff A was a re-hire and had original orientation on file and trainings. Re-training was completed. Staff B confirmed training was done at the time of hire and went through all orientation again and competed it on 8/12/2024.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-510-E
Description:	Based on record review, there was no documentation of the parent's and physician's authorization for medication administration. Evidence: Child C had no documentation of current authorization of medication from the parent or the physician.
Plan of Correction:	Center had current authorization of medication from the parent and physician on site during the inspection but was not presented to the inspector at the time of the visit. Paperwork is currently on site at the center in the medication binder.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-510-G
Description:	Based on observation, there was no correct labeling for a medication in the facility. Evidence: Child C had no specific instruction for administration on the Epinephrine and the allergy medication. Child C had no name on the allergy medication.
Plan of Correction:	Child C allergy medication was labeled with her full name during the licensing visit.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-550-D
Description:	Based on record review, the program did not implement a monthly practice evacuation drill. Evidence: There was no documentation of an evacuation drill for February 2024.
Plan of Correction:	Center did not document February 2024 fire drill however completed2 fire drills in the month of March 2024.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-560-F
Description:	Based on observation, there was no menu listing meals and snacks to the current week. Evidence: The menu posted was for July 22-26, 2024. There was no current menu posted for July 29-August 2, 2024.
Plan of Correction:	Current menu was posted in the front lobby for the week of July 20-August 2nd 2024 for the family and staff which was not observed by the inspector. Staff were retrained to ensure that all menus are updated in the classrooms each week.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-570-E
Description:	Based on observation, there were bottles with no dates in the refrigerator. Evidence: Child A and Child B had no dates for two bottles in the refrigerator at the time of inspection.
Plan of Correction:	Retrained all teachers to ensure that all bottles have child full name and sate.