Description: For the youngest children, Montessori Stepping Stones provides a wonderful first experience of school.
Montessori Stepping Stones builds the foundation for future learning and mastery using The Montessori Method. Your child will receive lots of attention with only eight (8) children in each class.
Through a carefully structured phase-in process, we minimize any separation anxiety for both children and their parents. The consequence: children develop a positive, affirming attitude about school.
Stepping Stones develops aspects of learning needed to foster the independence and curiosity emblematic of a Montessori child. One such aspect is the child’s ability to exercise self-control and negotiate her surroundings -- in Montessori we call this Practical Life.
Montessori also emphasizes that children learn through their sensory experiences (they see, hear and feel the sound and shape of letters to build a foundation for reading and writing; they work on counting objects as a prelude to math) – in Montessori we call this Sensorial.
In the Stepping Stones classroom, much time is spent on Practical Life and Sensorial. Through carefully designed activities, and using special Montessori materials and processes, children quickly build a strong developmental foundation both academically and socially.
Where possible, ChildcareCenter provides inspection reports as a service to families. This information is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed. We encourage families to contact the daycare provider directly with any questions or concerns, as the provider may have already addressed some or all issues. Reports can also be verified with your local daycare licensing office.
| Date Cited | Date Abated | Regulation Number |
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| 2023-03-23 | 2023-03-28 | 3A:52-5.3(i)(5)(i) |
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Environmental condition precautions are as follows: at the time of the initial application, any renewal application, relocation of an existing licensed center and, in the discretion of the Office of Licensing, any other time, the applicant or facility operator shall certify in writing that the center provides a potable water supply provided by a public community water system. If the facility is supplied by a public community water system, the applicant or facility operator shall provide documentation of water testing conducted by a laboratory certified by the Department of Environmental Protection for water testing for lead and copper from all faucets and other sources used for drinking water or food preparation and at least 50 percent of all indoor water faucets utilized by the center. Violation Observed: Complete and submit a DCF Drinking Water Testing Checklist and Statement of Assurance and a copy of the center's water testing completed by a laboratory certified by the Department of Environmental Protection. |
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| 2023-03-23 | 2023-04-25 | 3A:52-6.6(e)(1) |
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The center shall maintain on file a written policy on the disciplining of children by staff members. The policy shall reflect the provisions specified in N.J.A.C. 3A:52-6.6(a) through (c) and include the acceptable actions that a staff member may take when disciplining a child (that is, discussion with the child, time-out, etc.). Violation Observed: Prepare a discipline policy that includes the acceptable actions staff members may take when disciplining a child. Edit the discipline policy to include all of the required components and redistribute a copy to the staff and obtain an updated signature. |
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| 2023-03-23 | 2023-03-31 | 3A:52-7.9(a)(1)(vi)(4) |
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For early childhood programs, the following shall apply: the center shall maintain on file a log of the initial illnesses, symptoms of illness, or diseases that are exhibited by each child while in the center’s care, as specified in N.J.A.C. 3A:52-7.1(c) and (d). This illness log shall include the date, if applicable, that the child returned to the center symptom-free. Violation Observed: Maintain an illness log on file at the center and ensure that it contains all of the required components, including the date when the child returned to the center symptom-free. The illness log was missing the date that the child returned. |
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| 2023-03-23 | 2023-03-31 | 3A:52-4.5(a)(3)(i)(2) |
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The sponsor or sponsor representative shall designate individuals with the authority and responsibility to develop and implement written policies and procedures for the operation of the center, including job descriptions, titles and qualifications for all center staff. Violation Observed: Ensure that the center develops and implements job descriptions, titles and qualifications for all center staff. The current table of organization was missing the job descriptions for each title. |
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| 2023-03-23 | 2023-04-25 | 3A:52-4.10(b)(1) |
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When the center applies for a new or renewal license or Certificate of Life/Safety Approval, the sponsor or sponsor representative shall submit to the Department the completed CARI consent forms for all staff members who are or will be working at the center on a regularly scheduled basis. Within two weeks after a new staff member begins working at the center, the sponsor or sponsor representative shall submit to the Department a completed CARI consent form for the new staff member. Violation Observed: Renewal CARI background checks have been submitted by the center but the results are pending for 7 staff. |
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| 2023-03-23 | 2023-04-25 | 3A:52-4.11(a)(1) |
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As a condition of securing a license or Certificate of Life/Safety Approval, the sponsor or sponsor representative shall ensure that a Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) fingerprint background check is completed for himself or herself, and for all staff members at least 18 years of age who are or will be working at the center on a regularly- scheduled basis, to determine whether any such person has been convicted of a crime, as specified in P.L. 2000, c. 77 (N.J.S.A. 30:5B-6.10 to 6.17). The sponsor or sponsor representative and each staff member shall complete the electronic fingerprinting process through the vendor authorized by the State to conduct CHRI background checks through the Division of State Police in the Department of Law and Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Violation Observed: Ensure that all staff, the sponsor and/or the sponsor representative complete a CHRI background check as required. Missing CHRI background check for 1 new staff. Ensure that all staff, the sponsor and/or the sponsor representative complete a CHRI background check as required for the center's license renewal. Missing updated CHRI background checks dated after 1/1/2021 for 5 staff. |
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| 2023-03-23 | 2023-03-28 | 3A:52-4.6(c)(1) |
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For early childhood programs, the following shall apply: for all centers, the head teacher or consulting head teacher shall meet the qualification requirements specified in one of the seven options set forth in N.J.A.C. 3A:52-4.6(c) for education and experience. Violation Observed: Ensure that the head teacher meets the required qualifications as specified in the manual. |
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| 2023-03-23 | 2023-04-25 | 3A:52-7.5(b)(7)(ii) |
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The center shall develop and follow a policy on the administration of medication and health care procedures to children, which shall include the following provisions: the center shall maintain on file a record of the following the name of the medication or health care procedure. Violation Observed: Ensure that the center obtains all of the medication listed on the special care plan. |
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| 2023-03-23 | 2023-04-25 | 3A:52-6.5(a)(1) |
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The center shall maintain on file and follow a written policy on the release of children, which shall include the provision that each child may be released only to the child's parent(s) or person(s) authorized by the parent(s), as specified in N.J.A.C. 3A:52-6.8(a)3, to take the child from the center and to assume responsibility for the child in an emergency if the parent(s) cannot be reached. Violation Observed: Ensure that the center maintains and distributes to all families and staff the center's policy on the release of children, including all of the required components of the release policy. Redistribute and obtain signatures for both parents and staff. |
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| 2023-03-23 | 2023-04-25 | 3A:52-7.6(e)(1) |
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The center shall develop and follow a written policy for parental notification if a method other than a telephone call is used at the center for parental notification. The center shall distribute a copy of this policy to the parent of each enrolled child and secure and maintain on file a record of each parent’s signature attesting to receipt of this policy. Violation Observed: Develop a written policy for parental notification of injuries if the center uses methods other than a telephone call and maintain on file the signatures of staff and parents acknowledging receipt of the policy. |
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| 2021-04-16 | 3A:52-4.11(a)(1) | |
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As a condition of securing a license or Certificate of Life/Safety Approval, the sponsor or sponsor representative shall ensure that a Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) fingerprint background check is completed for himself or herself, and for all staff members at least 18 years of age who are or will be working at the center on a regularly- scheduled basis, to determine whether any such person has been convicted of a crime, as specified in P.L. 2000, c. 77 (N.J.S.A. 30:5B-6.10 to 6.17). The sponsor or sponsor representative and each staff member shall complete the electronic fingerprinting process through the vendor authorized by the State to conduct CHRI background checks through the Division of State Police in the Department of Law and Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Violation Observed: Ensure two staff receive a CHRI check. If the staff do not have contact with the children, submit an MOU to the OOL indicating that staff without a CARI and CHRI check will not be left alone with the children. | 11/4/21- There is 1 CHRI pending. |
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| 2021-04-16 | 2021-04-19 | 3A:52-7.9(a)(1)(i) |
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For early childhood programs, the following shall apply: the center shall maintain on file a log of the initial illnesses, symptoms of illness, or diseases that are exhibited by each child while in the center’s care, as specified in N.J.A.C. 3A:52-7.1(c) and (d). This illness log shall include the child's name. Violation Observed: Submit the children's illness log. The illness log attached contains adult illness and center classroom closures. |
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| 2021-04-16 | 2021-04-19 | 3A:52-7.11(b) |
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The center shall distribute a copy of the policy on the management of communicable diseases to the parent of each child enrolled and secure and maintain on file a record of each parent’s signature attesting to receipt of the policy. Violation Observed: Amend the center's communicable disease policy to remove any illness that is not considered a communicable disease and record the parent's signatures of receipt of the amended policy. |
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| 2021-04-16 | 2021-07-26 | 3A:52-5.3(i)(8) |
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Environmental condition precautions are as follows: at the time of the initial application, any renewal application, relocation of an existing licensed center, and, as determined by the Office of Licensing, on a case-by-case basis, the facility operator shall submit to the Office of Licensing a Safe Building Interior Certification or other approval issued by the Department of Health that indicates that no further remediation is needed for the interior of the building in which the center is located. Violation Observed: Submit the current SBIC. |
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| 2021-04-16 | 2021-05-04 | 3A:52-5.3(i)(5)(i) |
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Environmental condition precautions are as follows: at the time of the initial application, any renewal application, relocation of an existing licensed center and, in the discretion of the Office of Licensing, any other time, the applicant or facility operator shall certify in writing that the center provides a potable water supply provided by a public community water system. If the facility is supplied by a public community water system, the applicant or facility operator shall provide documentation of water testing conducted by a laboratory certified by the Department of Environmental Protection for water testing for lead and copper from all faucets and other sources used for drinking water or food preparation and at least 50 percent of all indoor water faucets utilized by the center. Violation Observed: Submit the drinking water testing and required supplemental forms. |
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If you are a provider and you believe any information is incorrect, please contact us. We will research your concern and make corrections accordingly.
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