The School Zone, Inc.
A child day center in Forest, Virginia 24551
1639 Rustic Village Road, Forest, Virginia 24551. (434) 525-2505.
Watch and the shortlist are kept with a free account, on every device. Your watch list. Virginia’s own record is on legacy.dss.virginia.gov.
The short answer
- 14 deficiencies in the last three years
- Oct 82026 the latest visit on record
- 137 children, its licensed capacity
Each figure’s source sits beside it, in its section below.
What these words mean4
- 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.
- 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?
19 inspections on record, the latest on Oct 8, 2026.
14 violations cited in the last three years.
Virginia Department of Education, Search for Child Day Care: each inspection’s page, with its violations. Checked Oct 30, 2026. Updated weekly.
When those deficiencies happened
14 deficiencies in 4 months of the last 36. Last cited Oct 2026. The last 3 years, to Oct 30, 2026.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Nov | 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 |
Hover or focus a month to read it.
Hearth Record drew this from the dates and levels in the source’s own records.
Each deficiency, in its source’s words
Grouped by visit, newest first, with the level its source gave it.
Virginia Department of Education, Search for Child Day Care: each inspection’s page, with its violations. Checked Oct 30, 2026. Updated weekly.
Oct 8, 2026: subsidy health and safety inspection5 deficiencies
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Repeat violation systemic violation
“A sworn statement must be completed prior to employment. Staff #3 (employed for 15 month) sworn statement was completed one day after hire.”
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Repeat violation systemic violation
“Centers must obtain a completed national criminal background check prior to the employee’s first day of employment. Staff #3?s national criminal background check was completed 9 days after hire.”
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Systemic violation
“Each staff member shall submit documentation of a negative tuberculosis screening at the time of employment and prior to coming into contact with the children. The screening for Staff #3 was completed 2 weeks after hire.”
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Systemic violation
“t least one staff in each classroom or area where children are present shall have current certification in both CPR and First Aid. Staff #4 was alone with a group of 7, three-year-old children and was not certified in CPR.”
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Repeat violation
“All staff who work directly with children shall have within 90 days of date of employment certification in CPR. Staff #4 did not have a certification in CPR and has been employed over 90 days.”
Jun 11, 2026: inspection1 deficiency
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No child shall be allowed to drink or eat while walking around.
“The inspector observed a child on the playground drinking from a cup while walking around the playground.”
May 20, 2026: inspection5 deficiencies
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When staff are supervising children, they shall always ensure their care, protection, and guidance.
The inspectors’ words, 115 words
“On 5/19/2026, two staff were supervising 15 children (ages 4-5 years) and failed to ensure all children remained in the classroom. Child 1 (age 5 years) left the center unsupervised and walked near a neighboring business and along a busy four-lane road with a 45 mph speed limit and no pedestrian sidewalk. The road is where multiple cars and semitrucks travel. An employee from a nearby business observed the child walking in the grass alongside traffic and reported the child to the center. The center was unaware the child was missing until contacted by the employee. Due to the staff’s lack of protection, Child 1 was unsupervised by the center staff for approximately six minutes.”
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Children under 10 years of age shall always be within actual sight and sound supervision of staff.
“On 5/19/2026, Child 1 (age 5 years) walked away from the center, towards a busy road. Center staff did not have sight and sound supervision of Child 1 for approximately 6 minutes.”
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Centers shall be in compliance with the center’s own policies and procedures required by these standards.
“The center’s procedure for identifying where attending children are at all times states that children will never be left alone. Child 1 (age 5 years) was left alone when the child left the center alone and unsupervised for approximately 6 minutes.”
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All staff who work directly with children shall have a current certification in CPR.
“Staff 1 did not have a certification in CPR that included an in-person competency demonstration.”
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All staff who work directly with children shall have a current certification in first aid.
“Staff 1 did not have a certification in first aid.”
Apr 23, 2026: subsidy health and safety inspection3 deficiencies
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A sworn statement must be completed prior to employment.
“Staff #3?s sworn statement was completed 2 months after hire.”
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The national fingerprint check must be completed prior to employment.
“Staff #3?s fingerprint check was completed 2 days after hire.”
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Staff are to complete the VDOE sponsored online orientation course within 90 days of hire.
“Staff #4 has not yet completed this course which is overdue by 10 days.”
Oct 24, 2023: inspection1 deficiency
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REPEAT VIOLATION Based on observation, the center failed to ensure that where playground equipment is provided, resilient surfacing shall comply with minimum safety standards and shall be under equipment with moving parts or climbing apparatus to create a fall zone free of hazardous obstacles.
“Evidence: 1. The resilient surfacing (mulch) under the climbing equipment with blue slide measured approximate one inch. The ground was visible at the base of the slide. 2. The resilient surfacing (mulch) under the 2 pieces of climbing equipment with yellow slides measured approximate one inch. The ground was visible at the base of the slide. 3. The resilient surfacing (mulch) under the dome climbing equipment measured approximate one inch. The ground was visible in the center of the dome.”
Dec 14, 2022: inspection1 deficiency
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Based on observation, the center failed to ensure that all climbable playground equipment had the required resilient surfacing.
“Evidence: Observed non-measurable amount of resilient surfacing under the required fall zone.The required amount is 6 inches of resilient surfacing.”
Jun 24, 2022: inspection2 deficiencies
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Based on observation, the center failed to maintain areas and equipment of the center in a clean, safe operable condition.
The inspectors’ words, 104 words
“Evidence: Licensing Inspector observed in the following hazards: 1.In the School Age classroom the Inspector observed an uncovered pencil sharpener with open blades exposed. This poses a hazard to the children in care. 2. Inspector observed a protruding steel rod coming out of the blacktop where children play. This poses a tripping and impalement hazard. 3. Observed a step on the back deck that was elevated higher than the other steps. This creates a tripping hazard. 4. Observed standing water in outdoor tables that were approximately a foot and a half deep, with about an inch of water inside. Posed a hazard to children..”
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Based on observation and measurement, the center failed ensure that all climbable playground equipment had the required resilient surfacing.
“Evidence: Observed non-measurable amount of resilient surfacing under the required fall zone of the swings. The required amount is 6 inches of woodchips.”
All 19 visits on record
| Date | Visit | What the record says |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 8, 2026 | Subsidy health and safety inspection | 5 violations cited |
| Jun 11, 2026 | Inspection | 1 violation cited |
| May 20, 2026 | Inspection | 5 violations cited |
| Apr 23, 2026 | Subsidy health and safety inspection | 3 violations cited |
| Sep 29, 2025 | Subsidy health and safety inspection | No violations cited |
| Sep 29, 2025 | Inspection | No violations cited |
| Dec 10, 2024 | Subsidy health and safety inspection | No violations cited |
| Dec 10, 2024 | Inspection | No violations cited |
| Apr 8, 2024 | Subsidy health and safety inspection | No violations cited |
| Apr 8, 2024 | Inspection | No violations cited |
| Oct 24, 2023 | Subsidy health and safety inspection | No violations cited |
| Oct 24, 2023 | Inspection | 1 violation cited |
| Jun 6, 2023 | Subsidy health and safety inspection | No violations cited |
| Jun 6, 2023 | Inspection | No violations cited |
| Dec 14, 2022 | Subsidy health and safety inspection | No violations cited |
| Dec 14, 2022 | Inspection | 1 violation cited |
| Jun 24, 2022 | Inspection | 2 violations cited |
| Nov 22, 2021 | Subsidy health and safety inspection | No violations cited |
| Nov 22, 2021 | Inspection | No violations cited |
Is it licensed?
- Child Day Center: Two Year license, expires Dec 10, 2027.
- A current subsidy provider.
- Ages: 2 years - 12 years 11 months.
- Capacity: 137 children.
Virginia Department of Education, Search for Child Day Care: each facility’s page. Checked Oct 30, 2026. Updated weekly.
Has Virginia acted against it?
- 0 complaint inspections on record.
- No complaint allegations published with findings.
Virginia Department of Education, Search for Child Day Care: each inspection’s page, with its violations and Search for Child Day Care: each complaint’s page, with its allegations and findings. Checked Oct 30, 2026. Updated weekly.
Who does the caring?
- Virginia doesn’t publish staffing levels for individual providers. State rules set staff-to-child ratios by age.
Who owns it?
- Virginia’s search doesn’t list owners.
How is it rated?
- Virginia’s search doesn’t show a quality rating.
How does it compare nearby?
- Among 19 child care providers in Bedford County, the middle value for violations cited in the last three years was 10; this one had 14.
Virginia Department of Education, Search for Child Day Care: each inspection’s page, with its violations. Checked Oct 30, 2026. Updated weekly.
| Place | Violations cited in the last three years |
|---|---|
| Bedford Area Family Young Mens Christian Association- New London | 16 |
| Forest United Methodist Church | Not given |
| Bedford Area Family Young Mens Christian Assoc -Thomas Jefferson | 17 |
| Timberlake Educational Foundation | 0 |
| The School Zone, Inc. This child care provider | 14 |
| KinderCare Learning Center - Forest | 110 |
| Mountain View Church | 5 |
| Sherry Gammon | 17 |
| Bedford Baptist Church | 2 |
| Blue Ridge Montessori, Inc. | 10 |
| Bedford Area Family Young Men’s Christian Association | 22 |
| Main Street United Methodist Church | 1 |
What the record doesn’t say
- Virginia doesn’t grade how serious a violation is, so no severity is shown.
- Virginia publishes a complaint’s allegations and findings only when its inspection found a violation and the records are linked.
- Virginia doesn’t publish staffing levels or owners for individual providers.
- A plan of correction sent late, or not at all, isn’t online: Virginia says to ask the inspector.
- Virginia’s pages show about the last five years of inspections; for older ones, Virginia says to contact the licensing inspector.
- Virginia says this information may not be accurate, up to date or complete, and shouldn’t be the only source in choosing care.
Sources
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Virginia Department of Education, Search for Child Day Care: each facility’s page.
Checked Oct 30, 2026. Updated weekly. No open licence; Virginia allows non-commercial use, so Care Ledger shows it free.
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Virginia Department of Education, Search for Child Day Care: each inspection’s page, with its violations.
Checked Oct 30, 2026. Updated weekly. No open licence; Virginia allows non-commercial use, so Care Ledger shows it free.
-
Virginia Department of Education, Search for Child Day Care: each complaint’s page, with its allegations and findings.
Checked Oct 30, 2026. Updated weekly. No open licence; Virginia allows non-commercial use, so Care Ledger shows it free.
If you believe something here is wrong, a correction starts with the agency whose record this copies: Virginia Department of Education. Virginia’s own record is on legacy.dss.virginia.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 Oct 30, 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.