complaint·September 10, 2025

On 06/11/2025, LPA made an unannounced visit to the facility and interviewed staff and children. Facility representative provided LPA with children’s roster, Ouch/Incident reports ranging from 05/2025 – 06/2025, attendance records for facility staff and children enrolled at the facility between 06/02/2025 to 06/11/2025, Admission Application, Newport Montessori Handbook and other pertinent documents. During the investigation, LPA conducted observations of the facility’s teacher-child engagement, child-child interactions, conducted a census and monitored children napping. LPA reviewed facility’s incident reports. LPA also interviewed seven staff, contacted nine parents, but only three responded and were interviewed. LPA also interviewed five (5) children. During LPA observations on 06/11/2025 and 09/10/2025, LPA observed the facility operating within its license and capacity. On 06/11/2025, part of the preschool children were seen napping. The rest of the children that were awake remained seated or lying on their cots. LPA Castro also observed staff re-direct children that were awake back onto their cots during this time period. During the visit on 09/10/2025, the children were in individual classrooms doing group activities. During staff interviews, all seven interviewees stated that they notify parents when a child gets injured at the facility. Four out of seven staff stated children regularly had bedding on their cots. One out of seven staff stated that they had observed a child lack bedding, but the director was notified and a set was given to child. Five out of seven staff stated they had never been out of ratio. Two out of three parents did not disclose any concerns regarding the above allegations. During child interviews, five out of five children disclosed they counted a lot of children in their class. Lastly, five out of five children reported sleeping with a blanket or sheet During child interviews, three out of five children stated they have witnessed a child hit another child. During staff interviews, six out of seven staff disclosed that they intervene when a child is hurting/hitting another child. During LPA’s observations on 06/10/2025 and 09/10/2025, LPA monitored staff as they re-directed children and mediated between two children engaged in conflict. Continue to page 3 During LPA Castro’s record review, LPA reviewed ouch/incident reports between 05/02/2025 until 06/10/2025. The reviewed reports showed staff followed reporting requirement procedure and kept all parties involved informed of incidents. LPA also reviewed attendance records for facility staff and children enrolled at the facility between 06/02/2025 until 06/11/2025 (day of initial visit). The attendance records did not show the facility was operating out of ratio. The Orange County Regional Child Care Licensing Office has investigated the complaint alleging 1) Staff did not maintain proper teacher-child ratios (2) Staff did not report incidents to appropriate parties (3) Staff did not prevent children in care from harming each other and (4) Staff did not provide bedding to children in care. Based on the information gathered from LPA’s interviews, observations and record reviews, although the allegations may have happened or is valid, there was not a preponderance of evidence to prove the alleged allegations: 1) Staff did not maintain proper teacher-child ratios (2) Staff did not report incidents to appropriate parties (3) Staff did not prevent children in care from harming each other and (4) Staff did not provide bedding to children in care. Therefore, these allegations are unsubstantiated. A notice of site visit was given and must remain posted for 30 days. Exit interview conducted and report was reviewed with the director, Angela Galitski. END OF REPORT