Smokey Mountain Elementary Pre-K
A child care center in Whittier, North Carolina 28789
884 Us Highway 441 North, Whittier, North Carolina 28789. (828) 497-5535.
Watch and the shortlist are kept with a free account, on every device. Your watch list. North Carolina’s own record is on ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov.
The short answer
- 15 violations in the last three years
- Oct 122026 the latest visit on record
- 36 children, its licensed capacity
Each figure’s source sits beside it, in its section below.
What these words mean5
- Inspection (survey)
- A visit by state inspectors, often unannounced, who check a place against the rules it must meet. For nursing homes and other places Medicare pays, CMS calls these visits surveys: a standard survey of a nursing home comes at least every 15 months, and a complaint survey whenever a complaint calls for one. Source: CMS; 42 CFR 488.308.
- Deficiency, citation, violation
- What inspectors write up when a place didn’t meet a rule: the rule, what they saw, and when. CMS calls it a deficiency; states may say citation or violation. It is the inspectors’ finding, not a court’s, and the place is usually asked for a plan to correct it. Source: CMS, statement of deficiencies (Form CMS-2567); each state’s licensing agency.
- Quality rating
- Many states rate child care in a quality rating system that goes past the licensing rules, such as Texas Rising Star or Kentucky All STARS. Taking part is often voluntary, so a program with no rating hasn’t been rated low. Source: Each state’s quality rating system.
- Licence status
- Whether the state’s licence lets the place operate now, in the state’s own words: licensed, on probation (allowed to keep operating on conditions, after problems), provisional, pending or expired. Source: Each state’s licensing agency.
- Capacity
- The most people the licence or certification lets the place care for at once: residents, children, beds or apartments, as the state counts them. It isn’t how many are there now. Source: Each state’s licensing agency.
What did inspectors find?
7 DCDEE visits in the last three years, the latest on Oct 12, 2026.
15 violations cited in the last three years, 15 of them marked corrected.
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE), Child Care Facility Search (ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov): licences, DCDEE visits and violations. Checked Oct 21, 2026. Updated daily.
When those violations happened
15 violations in 4 months of the last 36. Last cited Sep 2026. The last 3 years, to Nov 3, 2026.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Dec | |||||||||||
| 2024 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 2025 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 2026 | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov |
Hover or focus a month to read it.
Hearth Record drew this from the dates and levels in the source’s own records.
Each violation, in its source’s words
Grouped by visit, newest first, with the level its source gave it.
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE), Child Care Facility Search (ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov): licences, DCDEE visits and violations. Checked Oct 21, 2026. Updated daily.
Sep 16, 2026: unannounced2 violations
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A child care operator did not notify the Division of any new child care providers, as defined in G.S.
“110-90.2(a)(2), who were hired or moved into the child care facility within five business days.C. Condill, Administrator, B. Payne, Assistant Principal/bus driver, has not been linked to this facilities ABCMS Provider Portal.”
-
Rule violated (DCDEE’s description below)
“Prescribed medicines, that are pharmaceutical samples, was not stored in the manufacturers original packaging, was not labeled with the child’s name, and/or written instructions did not include the required information.S. Davis EpiPen was not in its original container with the child’s name and prescription label.”
May 6, 2026: unannounced1 violation
-
A summary of the NC Child Care Law was not posted in a prominent place in the center.
“The summary of law posted was dated 2019.”
Oct 21, 2025: unannounced11 violations
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A child care operator did not notify the Division of any new child care providers, as defined in G.S.
“110-90.2(a)(2), who were hired or moved into the child care facility within five business days. The child care facility began operation on 8/13/25 for the new school year. The child care operator has not notified the Division of one (1) of two (2) teaching staff, three (3) bus drivers, as well as the assistant principal and pre-k coordinator, that are hired at the child care facility.”
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A valid qualification letter was not on file and available to review at the facility.
“The child care facility began operation on 8/13/25 for the new school year. A DCDEE Criminal Background Check (CBC) qualifying letter was not on file for the new administrator prior to employment.”
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All 5 of the following activity areas were not available daily to each group art/creative play, children’s books, blocks/block building, manipulatives, family living/dramatic play.
“Indoor free choice activities were not observed today due to the dramatic play area, block area, and manipulative area being blocked off by furniture during the visit.”
-
Each employee’s personnel file did not contain an annual staff evaluation and a staff development plan.
“One staff hired on 8/13/18 did not have a staff development plan on file for 2025. Refer to the staff and training worksheet.”
-
Fire drills were not practiced monthly and/or the drill record was incomplete.
“There was no documentation on the fire drill logs of a fire drill being practiced in May 2025 and September 2025.”
-
Prior to employment a Criminal Background Check was not completed.
“The child care facility began operation on 8/13/25 for the new school year. The new administrator has not completed the DCDEE Criminal Background Check (CBC) application process.”
-
Rule violated (DCDEE’s description below)
“Activities did not allow children to participate in whole group, as part of the group or independently. During the visit, only indoor group activities were offered and there was no opportunity for children to play independently.”
-
Sand and water play activities were not available weekly to each group.
“Per teacher report, water play has not been offered to children this school year. The school year began on 8/13/25.”
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Shelter-in-place or lockdown drills were not practiced every three months and/or drill record was incomplete.
“The last lockdown drill practiced for the 2024-2025 school year was documented as being practiced on 12/13/24. The first shelter-in-place drill practiced for the 2025-2026 school year was documented as being practiced on 8/18/25.”
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The activity plan did not include a daily gross motor activity which may occur indoors and outdoors.
“The activity plan dated 10/20/25 through 10/24/25 did not include a daily gross motor activity. Free play was listed in the section of outdoor play.”
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The center did not maintain records as required in rule, and/or were not made available to the Division for review.
“There was not a 2025-26 public school off-site records verification form on file for bus driver staff records. There was not a 2025-26 public school off-site records verification form on file for transportation records. The requirements for preschool children on public school buses forms were not on-site.”
Feb 21, 2024: unannounced1 violation
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Electrical outlets and power strips, not in use, which were located in space used by children did not have safety outlets or were not covered with safety plugs unless located behind furniture or equipment that cannot be moved by a child.
All 7 visits on record
| Date | Visit | What the record says |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 12, 2026 | Announced visit | No violations cited |
| Sep 16, 2026 | Unannounced visit | 2 violations cited |
| May 6, 2026 | Unannounced visit | 1 violation cited |
| Oct 21, 2025 | Unannounced visit | 11 violations cited |
| Aug 5, 2025 | Announced visit | No violations cited |
| Dec 16, 2024 | Unannounced visit | No violations cited |
| Feb 21, 2024 | Unannounced visit | 1 violation cited |
Is it licensed?
- Child Care Center, holding a Five Star Center License since Jul 30, 2026.
- Licensed for 36 children, ages 3 through 5.
- Not enrolled in North Carolina’s subsidized child care program.
- North Carolina’s licence number: 50000124.
- Restriction: Other - Meets reduced staff/child ratios.
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE), Child Care Facility Search (ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov): licences, DCDEE visits and violations. Checked Oct 21, 2026. Updated daily.
Has North Carolina acted against it?
- DCDEE says it has taken no action against this facility, for its current licence and location, in the last three years.
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE), Child Care Facility Search (ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov): licences, DCDEE visits and violations. Checked Oct 21, 2026. Updated daily.
Who does the caring?
- North Carolina’s page gives a staff-to-child ratio policy as the provider reports it, unverified by DCDEE, so it isn’t shown.
Who owns it?
- Owner, as North Carolina lists it: Jackson County Public Schools.
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE), Child Care Facility Search (ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov): licences, DCDEE visits and violations. Checked Oct 21, 2026. Updated daily.
How is it rated?
- Star Rated License: 5 stars of five.
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE), Child Care Facility Search (ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov): licences, DCDEE visits and violations. Checked Oct 21, 2026. Updated daily.
How does it compare nearby?
- Among 16 child care providers in Jackson County, the middle value for violations cited in the last three years was 14; this one had 15.
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE), Child Care Facility Search (ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov): licences, DCDEE visits and violations. Checked Oct 21, 2026. Updated daily.
| Place | Violations cited in the last three years |
|---|---|
| First Steps Preschool | 19 |
| Smokey Mountain Elementary Pre-K This child care provider | 15 |
| Fairview Head Start | 3 |
| Patty’s House | 1 |
| The Fairview Kids’ Place | 8 |
| Kneedler Child Development Center | 3 |
| Cullowhee Valley Elementary | 24 |
| Cullowhee Valley School Pre-K | 22 |
| Kidz Playhouse | 15 |
| Hampton Preschool and Early Learning Center | 13 |
| Cullowhee Kids Preschool | 2 |
| Pam’s Child Development Center, LLC | 8 |
What the record doesn’t say
- North Carolina doesn’t show a visit summary tied to an open child maltreatment investigation while the case is active, and shows an administrative action only after its 30-day appeal period, without saying what it was.
- DCDEE’s descriptions of violations are shown in its own words; a description that names or may name a person isn’t shown. Visit summaries, the consultants’ full reports, aren’t read.
- North Carolina’s page lists the provider’s own features (transport, ratios) as furnished by the provider and unverified by DCDEE, so they aren’t shown.
Sources
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North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE), Child Care Facility Search (ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov): licences, DCDEE visits and violations.
Checked Oct 21, 2026. Updated daily. nc.gov terms: copying and distribution for non-commercial use, without alteration, citing the source. Shown free and never sold; DCDEE’s own words are quoted.
If you believe something here is wrong, a correction starts with the agency whose record this copies: North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE). North Carolina’s own record is on ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov. If Hearth Record copied something wrongly, it will fix it and log the correction publicly, with its date: how corrections work.
This copy of the record was made on Nov 3, 2026.
From the provider
The public record above comes first. Anything the provider adds will appear here, below it, and say who wrote it.
Replies
None. Replies aren’t open yet. When they open, the provider will be able to answer any finding for free, and the reply will show beside that finding, unedited and dated.
Paid listing
None. Paid listings aren’t open yet. When they open, anything paid for will say “Paid by the provider”, and paying will never change a finding, a rating or the order of results.