313625103-5-11-2026-03-CC-MLOR-DU3VDY-20260514162127

Community Care Licensing

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT

Facility Number: 313625103
Report Date: 05/11/2026
Date Signed: 05/11/2026 03:29:54 PM

Substantiated

STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
SACRAMENTO CC RO, 9835 GOETHE ROAD, SUITE 100
SACRAMENTO, CA 95827

This is an official report of an unannounced visit/investigation of a complaint received in our office on
02/27/2026 and conducted by Evaluator Matthew Gallo

PUBLIC

COMPLAINT CONTROL NUMBER: 03-CC-20260227145707

FACILITY NAME:	STERLING & BAMBINI MONTESSORI		FACILITY NUMBER:	313625103
ADMINISTRATOR:	STERLING & BAMBINI		FACILITY TYPE:	840
ADDRESS:	821 STERLING PARKWAY		TELEPHONE:	(650) 430-2037
CITY:	LINCOLN	STATE: CA	ZIP CODE:	95648
CAPACITY:	28	CENSUS: 6	DATE:	05/11/2026
		UNANNOUNCED	TIME BEGAN:	12:40 PM
MET WITH:	Paolo Sarmiento		TIME COMPLETED:	03:40 PM

ALLEGATION(S):

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Staff did not pick up day care children from elementary school

INVESTIGATION FINDINGS:

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At 12:40pm on 5/11/2026, Licensing Program Analyst (LPA) Matthew Gallo met with facility representative Paolo Sarmiento to deliver findings to a complaint investigation into the above allegation. LPA observed 6 school age children supervised by 1 staff.

Throughout the course of the investigation, LPA conducted interview and record review concerning the allegation that staff did not pick up day care children from elementary school. During an initial interview on 3/5/2026, director Paolo Sarmiento acknowledged that two children released from elementary school on 2/25/2026 were not picked up on time, leading one child to be picked up by a parent and another to be picked up by the director 15-30 minutes after first becoming aware that the driver had not arrived. According to the director, the staff member responsible for picking up the children was delayed at another school by a child throwing a tantrum.

Continues on LIC9099-C

Substantiated

Estimated Days of Completion:

SUPERVISORS NAME: Mai Lor
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Matthew Gallo
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:	DATE: 05/11/2026

I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.

FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 05/11/2026

This report must be available at Child Care and Group Home facilities for public review for 3 years.

LIC9099 (FAS) - (06/04)

Page: 1 of 3

Control Number 03-CC-20260227145707

STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT (Cont)

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
SACRAMENTO CC RO, 9835 GOETHE ROAD, SUITE 100
SACRAMENTO, CA 95827

FACILITY NAME: STERLING & BAMBINI MONTESSORI	FACILITY NUMBER: 313625103
	VISIT DATE: 05/11/2026

NARRATIVE

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LPA spoke to two witnesses involved in ensuring children at the elementary school are picked up after school is released. When asked how many times the facility in the last month has not picked children up on time, one witness estimated about 8 times overall, and the other estimated it occurs approximately twice a week. Both witnesses provided corroborating accounts of an additional incident on 4/27/2026 in which children were released at 1:25pm but not picked up until 2:15pm. LPA interviewed 3 parents, one of which corroborated the 4/27/2026 incident, and all of which reported to have received at least one call from the elementary school within the last 6 months reporting that their child had yet to be picked up. The terms and conditions of the facility's transportation policy does include the language, "The Parent/Guardian acknowledges that there are other students to be dropped off and picked up from other schools; a possibility of a schedule change and off schedule may occur." However, this language does not exempt the school from responsibility of picking up a child at a reasonable time, particularly as the same policy acknowledges, "The Parents/Guardian understand we, Sterling & Bambini Montessori, do not hold or define the Elementary school representative to be responsible for the student." By agreeing to provide transportation services, licensee accepted responsibility for the timely retrieval and continued care and supervision of children following release from school. The director stated that the late pickups were caused by early release on Mondays and that they were waiting in line at the school. The preponderance of evidence standard has been met; therefore, the allegation is SUBSTANTIATED.

A Title 22 deficiency is cited on the following LIC9099-D

LPA Gallo informed facility representative Paolo Sarmiento that this report dated 5/11/2026 document(s) 1 Type A citation(s) which shall be posted for 30 consecutive days as there is/are immediate risk(s) to the health, safety, or personal rights of children in care.

Also, LPA Gallo informed the facility representative to provide a copy of this licensing report dated 5/11/2026 that documents any Type A citation(s) to parents/guardians of all children currently enrolled by the next business day or the next day the children are in care, and to any newly enrolled parents/guardians for 12 months from the date of this report. A signed Acknowledgement of Receipt of Licensing Report (LIC 9224), or other written statement, must be placed in the child's file for verification.

Exit interview conducted and report was reviewed with the facility representative, Paolo Sarmiento. A notice of site visit was given. LPA provided appeal rights.

SUPERVISORS NAME: Mai Lor
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Matthew Gallo
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:	DATE: 05/11/2026

I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.

FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 05/11/2026

LIC9099 (FAS) - (06/04)

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Control Number 03-CC-20260227145707

STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT (Cont)

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
SACRAMENTO CC RO, 9835 GOETHE ROAD, SUITE 100
SACRAMENTO, CA 95827

FACILITY NAME: STERLING & BAMBINI MONTESSORI	FACILITY NUMBER: 313625103
DEFICIENCY INFORMATION FOR THIS PAGE:	VISIT DATE: 05/11/2026

Deficiency Type POC Due Date / Section Number	DEFICIENCIES		PLAN OF CORRECTIONS(POCs)
Type A 05/12/2026 Section Cited CCR 101229(a)	1 2 3 4 5 6 7	101229(a) The licensee shall provide care and supervision as necessary to meet the children's needs. This requirement was not met as evidenced by:	1 2 3 4 5 6 7	Director stated they will provide LPA with an updated transportation service plan outlining the steps that will be taken to ensure children will be picked up on time by the POC due date.
	8 9 10 11 12 13 14	Based on interview and record review, the licensee did not comply with the section cited above due to not picking up day care children from elementary school for approximately 50 minutes after they were released, which poses an immediate health, safety, or personal rights risk to persons in care.	8 9 10 11 12 13 14
	1 2 3 4 5 6 7		1 2 3 4 5 6 7
	1 2 3 4 5 6 7		1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Failure to correct the cited deficiency(ies), on or before the Plan of Correction (POC) due date, may result in a civil penalty assessment.

SUPERVISORS NAME: Mai Lor
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Matthew Gallo
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:	DATE: 05/11/2026

I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my appeal rights as explained and received.

FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 05/11/2026

LIC9099 (FAS) - (06/04)

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