Incident investigation·October 27, 2025

On 10/27/2025, Licensing Program Analysts (LPAs) Wadhwa and Zaragoza conducted an unannounced, case management visit to Stratford School. LPAs met with Director, Teresa Wertman and explained the purpose of the visit. During LPA's visit there were a total of 18 teaching staff and 87 children present. Facility is operating within capacity limits and ratio during LPA's visit. Teaching staff present have fingerprint clearance on file. Childcare centers hours of operation are Monday through Friday, from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM. LPAs conducted a visit in regard to an unusual incident report that was reported to the department. The unusual incident was reported on 10/14/2025. The incident involved Child C1 and staff members S1, S2, and S3 in Room 4 which had 9 students and 2 staff present at the time of the incident. Per Director, on 10/14/2025, at approximately 8:50 AM, Room 4 was transitioning for outdoor play, when a parent walked in with their crying child C2 to be dropped off. While teachers were helping C2 settle in and transitioning the rest of the class to the playground, C1 got left behind in the class. Per Director, C1 was noticed sitting by herself in Room 4 by another parent P1 who was dropping off their child to the classroom next door, Room 3. P1 informed Staff S3 who immediately rushed over to Room 4 to attend to child C1. Per Director, the entire episode lasted about 30 \342\200\223 40 seconds from the child being left behind in the classroom to the child being discovered. Per Director, C1 who was crying at the time she was found, was consoled by S3 and led to playground to join her class. Their parent was later contacted and informed of the incident. Per Director, the school has taken multiple measures since to ensure supervision is always continuous and constant. These measures included the following: - Immediate change in drop-off and transitioning protocols; drop off were to occur at the place where children are scheduled to be present. Continued on Page 2 Page 2 - Refresher training's related to Student supervision and Transition Safety conducted on the same day. - A new staff member was added to Room 4 for extra support - Conducting safety training's monthly particularly name \342\200\223 to face training's. Due to reported violation, a Type B deficiency has been issued. Please see LIC 809D for more details. Deficiencies were cited today under CCR, Title 22, Div. 12, Chapt. 1. The facility provided a plan of correction to LPA Wadhwa via email on 10/15/2025 and implemented it on the same day. Based on the steps taken by the facility, a clear of deficiency letter was provided to the Director. This report must be available in the facility for public review. A notice of site visit shall be posted for 30 days from today's visit. An exit interview was conducted with the Director, Teresa Wertman.