VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

Hopkins House - Helen Day Preschool Academy
1224 Princess Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
(571) 480-4087

Current Inspector: Christina Bakonyi (571) 596-3655

Inspection Date: April 10, 2025

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 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.

Technical Assistance:

~ TB test/screening should be done prior to coming into contact with children. ~"Volunteer" means a person who works at the center and: 1. Is not paid; 2. Is not counted in the staff-to-children ratios; and 3. Is in sight and sound supervision of a staff member when working with a child. Any unpaid person not meeting this definition shall be considered "staff" and shall meet staff requirements. Substitute teachers should be signed in as Classroom Aide or Assistant Teacher. ~Ensure that an updated menu is posted, if there are any changes. ~Areas adjacent to the building should be cleared of trash and debris/unused toys so as to not cause a hazard when the classes are evacuating.

Comments:

An unannounced, on-site focused inspection, as well as a renewal inspection was initiated on April 10, 2025, and completed on April 10, 2025, as a part of the current licensure period. The on-site inspection began at 11:00am and ended at 1:10pm. The inspector reviewed compliance in the areas listed above. There were 61 children present and 11 staff. The inspector reviewed 5 child files and 5 staff files on-site. This inspection included: document review, postings review, tour of the facility and playgrounds, interviews, and 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 April 18. A POC submitted after this date will not appear on the public website.

Violations:

Standard #:	8VAC20-780-280-B
Description:	Hazardous substances such as cleaning materials, shall be kept in a locked place using a safe locking method that prevents access by children. 1. Cleaning material bottles were observed on a shelf in the hallway children's bathroom. 2. A bucket labeled "Bleach" was on the kitchen counter accessible to children, as the kitchen area is open (there is no door). 3. Air Freshener noted to be on the changing table in the two-year old classroom, accessible to children.
Plan of Correction:	A safety checklist will be used to complete a daily safety inspection before our center opens to ensure that hazardous substances are kept in a locked place using a safe locking method that prevents access by children.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-280-G
Description:	If hazardous substances are not kept in original containers, the substitute containers shall clearly indicate their contents. Two unlabeled spray bottles were noted in the bathroom used by the K-Prep class. Teacher confirmed they were cleaning fluids.
Plan of Correction:	A safety checklist will be used to complete a daily safety inspection before our center opens to ensure that hazardous substances are kept in a locked place using a safe locking method that prevents access by children.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-320-B
Description:	Each restroom area provided for children shall: Be equipped with soap, toilet paper, and disposable towels within reach of children. The upstairs children's bathroom did not have paper towels within reach of the children. The director confirmed that they are kept inside the classroom door to keep the children from flushing them down the toilet.
Plan of Correction:	A safety checklist will be used to complete a daily safety inspection before our center opens to ensure that each bathroom area provided for children shall be equipped with soap, toilet paper, and disposable towels that are within reach of the children.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-340-F
Description:	Children under 10 years of age always shall be within actual sight and sound supervision of staff. Four children from the K-Prep class were observed in the hallway and bathroom, (adjacent to the open kitchen area) outside of the classroom, without a staff member present.
Plan of Correction:	Hire additional team members and substitutes needed to meet required ratio for assistance inside and outside of the classroom. Additionally, the temporary reassignment of students (highlighted in our family handbook) will be utilized in the event of unforeseen circumstances such as a staff person calling out sick or waiting for a substitute to arrive. If this is the case, the academy may temporarily reassign a Young Scholar from their regular classroom or group to another classroom or group.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-350-B-1
Description:	The required ratio for children ages birth to 15 months is one staff per four children. ~ The fifth infant was signed in on the Child Supervision Record (CSR) at 8:29am. The second staff member signed into the CSR at 8:36am. ~At 11:00am, staff 6, who was signed into the infant CSR at 9:49am, was observed upstairs in the kitchen. When questioned, the director confirmed that the staff member left the infant class out of ratio to prepare lunch for the center.
Plan of Correction:	Hire additional team members and substitutes needed to meet required ratio for children ages birth to 15 months. Additionally, the temporary reassignment of students (highlighted in our family handbook) will be utilized in the event of unforeseen circumstances such as a staff person calling out sick or waiting for a substitute to arrive. If this is the case, the academy may temporarily reassign a Young Scholar from their regular classroom or group to another classroom or group.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-470-F
Description:	After each day's use, portable wading pools shall be emptied, sanitized, and stored in a position to keep them clean and dry. A portable wading pool was observed outside of the classroom, in the area that is used for evacuation. The pool was full of dirty water.
Plan of Correction:	The portable wading pool will be drained of water, cleaned, and removed from the yard area when not in use.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-500-A
Description:	1. Children's hands shall be washed with soap and running water after diapering. 2. Staff shall wash their hands with soap and running water, before and after a diaper change. Staff 7 was observed changing an infant's diaper, then laying the child down on the floor and immediately picking up another infant, without washing their own hands or the child's hands.
Plan of Correction:	The staff 7 team member who failed to follow the correct diapering procedure has been counseled and instructed to follow diapering steps by washing children's hands with soap and running water before and after a diapering change.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-500-B
Description:	~The diapering area shall have the following: a. A sink with running warm water not to exceed 120?F; b. Soap, and disposable towels. ~The diapering surface shall be cleaned with soap and at least room temperature water and sanitized after each use. 1.The Mixed-Age Group classroom was noted to have the diapering area in another area, outside of the classroom, without a sink, soap, or towels. 2.It was observed in the Infant Class that Staff 7 did not clean and sanitize the changing table after changing an infant's diaper.
Plan of Correction:	1) A portable sink and diapering area with be positioned the Mixed Delivery classroom. 2) The staff 7 team member who failed to follow the correct diapering procedure of cleaning and sanitizing the changing table after changing an infant's diaper has been counseled and instructed to follow the diapering steps provided near the diapering area.
Standard #:	8VAC20-780-570-E
Description:	Prepared infant formula shall be refrigerated, dated and labeled with the child's name. In the Infant Classroom, a bottle was observed in the warmer without a date or the child's name.
Plan of Correction:	Infant classroom educators are instructed to monitor prepared infant formula. Refrigerate, date, and label bottles with the child's name.