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Department of
SOCIAL SERVICES

Community Care Licensing


FACILITY EVALUATION REPORT

Facility Number: 197492872
Report Date: 09/17/2025
Date Signed: 09/17/2025 01:46:17 PM

Document Has Been Signed on 09/17/2025 01:46 PM - It Cannot Be Edited

STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

FACILITY EVALUATION REPORT		CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
PALMDALE CC RO, 39115 TRADE CENTER DR STE. 201
PALMDALE, CA 93551
FACILITY NAME:LEARNING TREE PRESCHOOL, THEFACILITY NUMBER:
197492872
ADMINISTRATOR/
DIRECTOR:		NOELLE HEFLEBOWERFACILITY TYPE:
850
ADDRESS:44662 15TH STREET WESTTELEPHONE:
(661) 948-5071
CITY:LANCASTERSTATE: CAZIP CODE:
93534
CAPACITY: 225TOTAL ENROLLED CHILDREN: 225CENSUS: DATE:
09/17/2025
TYPE OF VISIT:Case Management - Lead Testing/ExceedanceUNANNOUNCEDTIME VISIT/
INSPECTION BEGAN:
12:50 PM
MET WITH:Noel Helebower- Director TIME VISIT/
INSPECTION COMPLETED:
02:15 PM
NARRATIVE
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On September 17, 2025, Licensing Program Analyst (LPA) Sherell Braddock made an unannounced Case Management inspection, for the reported Lead Exceedance in the facility’s water. LPA met with Director Noel Heflebower and proceeded to tour the facility.

LPA interviewed the director and examined the water faucets deemed to have an Action Level Exceedance. The required signed and dated forms (LIC 9275/9276), and facility sketch with labeled water outlets were submitted to Community Care Licensing via email on 09/03/25.

Faucets reported with 5.5 ppb (parts per billion) or greater lead exceedance levels were as follows:

Faucet/sink labeled A located in room B10 21.000 ppb

Faucet/sink labeled C located in in room C10 150.000 ppb

Faucet/sink labeled E located in room C12 100.000 ppb

NAME OF LICENSING PROGRAM MANAGER: Lady King
NAME OF LICENSING PROGRAM ANALYST: Sherell Braddock
LICENSING PROGRAM ANALYST SIGNATURE: DATE: 09/17/2025
I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.
FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE: DATE: 09/17/2025
This report must be available at Child Care and Group Home facilities for public review for 3 years.

LIC809 (FAS) - (06/04)
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California Health & Human Services Agency
California Department of Social Services

FACILITY EVALUATION REPORT California law requires a public report of each licensing visit/inspection. This report is a record for the facility and the licensing agency. This report is available for public review; therefore, care is taken not to disclose personal or confidential information. Inquiries concerning the location, maintenance, and contents of these reports may be directed to the Licensing Program Analyst or Regional Office whose address and telephone number are listed on the front of this form.

DEFICIENCIES A deficiency is an instance of noncompliance with licensing requirements, including applicable statutes, regulations, interim licensing standards, operating standards, and written directives. Applicants/ licensees must be notified in writing of all licensing deficiencies. Deficiencies are listed on the left side of this form, and the applicable licensing requirement upon which the deficiency is identified. There are two types of deficiencies:
  • Type A deficiencies are violations of licensing requirements that, if not corrected, have a direct and immediate risk to the health, safety, or personal rights of persons in care.
  • Type B deficiencies are violations of licensing requirements that, without correction, could become a risk to the health, safety, or personal rights of persons in care, a recordkeeping violation that could impact the care of said persons and/or protection of their resources, or a violation that could impact those services required to meet the needs of persons in care.

PLANS OF CORRECTION (POCs) The licensing agency is required to establish a reasonable length of time to correct a deficiency. In order to set the time, the licensing agency must take into consideration the seriousness of the violation, the number of persons in care involved, and the availability of equipment and personnel necessary to correct the violation. Applicants/licensees are requested to provide a specific plan for each violation on the right side of the form across from each deficiency. The more specific the plan, the less chance exists for any misunderstanding in setting time limits and reviewing corrections. The applicant/licensee who encounters problems beyond their control in completing the corrections within the specified time frame may request and may be granted an extension of the correction due date by the licensing agency.

CORRECTION NOTIFICATION The applicant/licensee is responsible for completing all corrections and promptly notifying the licensing agency of corrections. Applicants/licensees are advised to keep a dated copy of any correspondence sent to the licensing agency concerning corrections, or if corrections are telephoned to the licensing agency, the date, person contacted, and information given.

CIVIL PENALTIES The licensing agency is required by law to issue a Penalty Notice, when applicable, to all facilities holding a license issued by the licensing agency, or subject to licensure, except Certified Family Homes, Resource Families, and Foster Family Homes, or any governmental entity.

PENALTY NOTICE GIVEN The statement concerning civil penalties serves as a penalty notice on this Licensing Report and failure to correct cited licensing deficiencies will result in civil penalties. Applicants/ licensees are required to pay civil penalties when administrative appeals have been exhausted and in accordance with any payment arrangements made with the licensing agency.

APPEAL RIGHTS The applicant/licensee has a right without prejudice to discuss any disagreement in this report with the licensing agency concerning the proper application of licensing requirements. The applicant/ licensee may request a formal review by the licensing agency to amend or dismiss the notice of deficiency and/ or civil penalty. Requests for review shall be made in writing within 15 business days of receipt of a deficiency notification or civil penalty assessment. Licensing deficiencies may be appealed pursuant to the procedures in the LIC 9058 Applicant/Licensee Rights.

AGENCY REVIEW The licensing agency review of an appeal may be conducted based upon information provided in writing by the applicant/licensee. The applicant/licensee may request an office meeting to provide additional information. The applicant/licensee will be notified in writing of the results of the agency review within 60 business days of the date when all necessary information has been provided to the licensing agency.

EMAIL REQUIREMENT Adult Community Care Facilities, Residential Care Facilities for the Chronically Ill, and Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly are required to provide and maintain an active email address of record with the licensing agency.

LIC809 (FAS) - (09/23)
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STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

FACILITY EVALUATION REPORT (Cont)		CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
PALMDALE CC RO, 39115 TRADE CENTER DR STE. 201
PALMDALE, CA 93551
FACILITY NAME: LEARNING TREE PRESCHOOL, THE
FACILITY NUMBER: 197492872
VISIT DATE: 09/17/2025
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At the time of the inspection LPA observed the water faucet “A” “C” and “E” were made inaccessible, bagged and disconnected to prevent the faucet from being used by children or staff. LPA also observed a do not use sign at the above faucets during the inspection.

Per director, the water faucets are scheduled to be repaired/replaced soon. The children in care are provided with drinking water via Brita Pitchers. Classroom C10 AND C12 WHICH IS Faucet C and E, have a kitchen in between and the teachers go to kitchen room C11 and utilize faucet D. Brita pitchers are refilled multiple times during the day brought to the classroom. Teachers from Classroom B10 also follow the same protocol.

Per director parents were notified of the lead exceedance in the water, up on receipt the water test results. LPA’s advised director to post the lead results in the parent communication board.

Based on records review and information received, and current policies and procedures for the Department, the facility is being cited for having a lead exceedance in faucet labeled letter A, C, and E, under the Written Directives, Section 101700.3 (b) (1) California Lead Action Level at Child Care Centers.

See LIC809-D cited deficiency.

An exit interview was conducted, a copy of this report, 809D and appeal rights were handed to facility Director Noel Heflebower. A notice of site visit was given and must remain posted for 30 days.

NAME OF LICENSING PROGRAM MANAGER: Lady King
NAME OF LICENSING PROGRAM ANALYST: Sherell Braddock
LICENSING PROGRAM ANALYST SIGNATURE:

DATE: 09/17/2025
I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.
FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 09/17/2025
LIC809 (FAS) - (06/04)
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Document Has Been Signed on 09/17/2025 01:46 PM - It Cannot Be Edited


Created By: Sherell Braddock On 09/17/2025 at 01:36 PM
Link to Parent Document Below:
STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

FACILITY EVALUATION REPORT (Cont)		CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
, 39115 TRADE CENTER DR STE. 201
PALMDALE, CA 93551

FACILITY NAME: LEARNING TREE PRESCHOOL, THE
FACILITY NUMBER: 197492872

DEFICIENCY INFORMATION FOR THIS PAGE:
VISIT DATE: 09/17/2025
Deficiency Type
POC Due Date /
Section Number
DEFICIENCIES
PLAN OF CORRECTIONS(POCs)
Type B
10/15/2025
Section Cited

101700.3(b)(1)

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101700.3 (b) (1) California Lead Action Level at Child Care Centers 101700.3 (b) (1) Written Directives...A result with values of 5.5 ppb or greater shall be deemed an Action Level Exceedance.
This requirement was not met as evidence by:
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Per director- There is a plumber scheduled to come out and replace the faucet. Currently the faucet A,C and E are bagged and the water supply has been tuned off.
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Based on records review and interviews, facility tested over the Action Level Exceedance, in drinking fountains A in classroom B10, C in classroom C10 and E in classroom C12 This poses a potential health, safety, or personal rights risk to the children in care.

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Failure to correct the cited deficiency(ies), on or before the Plan of Correction (POC) due date, may result in a civil penalty assessment.
Lady King
NAME OF LICENSING PROGRAM MANAGER:
Sherell Braddock
NAME OF LICENSING PROGRAM ANALYST:
LICENSING PROGRAM ANALYST SIGNATURE:
DATE: 09/17/2025
I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my appeal rights as explained and received.
FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:
DATE: 09/17/2025


LIC809 (FAS) - (06/04)
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