Report
TheVardellReport
Cadence Academy Preschool-Smyrna
Child care center
649 S Carter Rd
Smyrna, DE 19977
Report
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The Vardell Report.Cadence Academy Preschool-Smyrna
The deeper story, beautifully organized. Available records, historical context, and questions worth asking.
- Provider Category
- Childcare
- Location
- Smyrna, DE
- Record Period
- 2021–2026
- Source Documents
- 20
This report is free. Vardell does not certify, grade or endorse; it shows what the record documents.
The Essentials
Summary
Across 19 licensing visits from December 2021 to October 2026, OCCL cited 23 regulations at Cadence Academy Preschool-Smyrna; 18 have a recorded correction and 5 have none recorded.
- Visits
- 19
- 2021–2026, compliance reviews and complaint investigations
- Citations
- 23
- Regulations cited by OCCL licensing staff
- Corrected
- 18
- Of 23 citations, with a recorded correction date
- Complaint investigations
- 14
- Investigations of a complaint, with their results in the report
Citations by Year
- Citations
* Partial year, through November 1, 2026.
| Year | Visits | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022 | 2 | 1 |
| 2023 | 5 | 7 |
| 2024 | 5 | 6 |
| 2025 | 4 | 4 |
| 2026 | 2 | 5 |
What the Record Shows
- 18 of 23 citations have a recorded correction date.
- OCCL’s files list no enforcement action in this window.
- 14 visits in this window included a complaint investigation. OCCL publishes each complaint investigation’s result, not what the complaint alleged.
- The latest full compliance review, October 13, 2026, recorded 5 citations.
What to Ask About
- Diapering and Soiled Clothing, Cited in Three Visits
- Child Files, Cited in Two Visits
- Kitchen and Food Preparation, Cited in Two Visits
- Lesson Plans, Cited in Two Visits
- Activity Areas, Cited in Two Visits
- Personnel Files, No Recorded Correction
- Indoor Space, No Recorded Correction
- Toilet Facilities, No Recorded Correction
- Sleeping Accommodations and Safe Sleep Environments, No Recorded Correction
- Administration of Medication, No Recorded Correction
Report at a Glance
- Facility
- Cadence Academy Preschool-Smyrna
- Address
- 649 S Carter Rd, Smyrna, DE 19977
- License Number
- DE-1456251
- License Type
- Child care center
- Licensed Capacity
- 191 children
- Ages Served
- 6 weeks through 12 years
- Hours
- 6:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
- Injuries Reported
- 2021: 1 facility injury. No facility deaths reported. 2022: 4 facility injuries. No facility deaths reported. 2023: 7 facility injuries. No facility deaths reported. 2024: 3 facility injuries. No facility deaths reported. 2025: 3 facility injuries. No facility deaths reported. 2026: 2 facility injuries. No facility deaths reported.
- Record Window
- November 1, 2021 to November 1, 2026
Chronology
Inspection History
Every visit in the record window, newest first. A citation is a licensing regulation Delaware found was not met. OCCL publishes each complaint investigation’s result, not what the complaint alleged.
- 2026
Unannounced full compliance review
5 citations
- 30UPersonnel FilesCitedMarked corrected; no correction date recorded
- 49UIndoor SpaceCitedMarked corrected; no correction date recorded
- 51UToilet FacilitiesCitedMarked corrected; no correction date recorded
- 56USleeping Accommodations and Safe Sleep EnvironmentsCitedMarked corrected; no correction date recorded
- 63UAdministration of MedicationCitedMarked corrected; no correction date recorded
Source: Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)
- 2026
Complaint investigation
No citations
Dated the day the investigation was completed; result: No Evidence to Substantiate.
Source: Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)
- 2025
Unannounced full compliance review
4 citations
- 30UPersonnel FilesCitedCorrected Nov 5, 2025
- 61UDiapering and Soiled ClothingCitedCorrected Oct 30, 2025
- 74ULesson PlansCitedCorrected Oct 7, 2025
- 75UActivity AreasCitedCorrected Oct 7, 2025
Source: Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)
- 2025
Complaint investigation
No citations
Dated the day the investigation was completed; result: No Evidence to Substantiate.
Source: Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)
- 2025
Complaint investigation
No citations
Dated the day the investigation was completed; result: Substantiated.
Source: Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)
- 2025
Complaint investigation
No citations
Dated the day the investigation was completed; result: No Evidence to Substantiate.
Source: Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)
- 2024
Complaint investigation
No citations
Dated the day the investigation was completed; result: No Evidence to Substantiate.
Source: Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)
- 2024
Unannounced full compliance review
6 citations
- 30UPersonnel FilesCitedCorrected Nov 8, 2024
- 40UChild FilesCitedCorrected Nov 8, 2024
- 50UKitchen and Food PreparationCitedCorrected Nov 8, 2024
- 61UDiapering and Soiled ClothingCitedCorrected Nov 8, 2024
- 74ULesson PlansCitedCorrected Nov 8, 2024
- 75UActivity AreasCitedCorrected Oct 8, 2024
Source: Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)
- 2024
Complaint investigation
No citations
Dated the day the investigation was completed; result: No Evidence to Substantiate.
Source: Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)
- 2024
Complaint investigation
No citations
Dated the day the investigation was completed; result: No Evidence to Substantiate.
Source: Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)
- 2024
Complaint investigation
No citations
Dated the day the investigation was completed; result: No Evidence to Substantiate.
Source: Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)
- 2023
Complaint investigation
No citations
Dated the day the investigation was completed; result: Substantiated.
Source: Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)
- 2023
Complaint investigation
No citations
Dated the day the investigation was completed; result: No Evidence to Substantiate.
Source: Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)
- 2023
Complaint investigation
No citations
Dated the day the investigation was completed; result: No Evidence to Substantiate.
Source: Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)
- 2023
Unannounced full compliance review
7 citations
- 30UPersonnel FilesCitedCorrected Nov 10, 2023
- 40UChild FilesCitedCorrected Nov 10, 2023
- 49UIndoor SpaceCitedCorrected Nov 10, 2023
- 50UKitchen and Food PreparationCitedCorrected Oct 23, 2023
- 59UHand WashingCitedCorrected Oct 23, 2023
- 61UDiapering and Soiled ClothingCitedCorrected Oct 23, 2023
- 63UAdministration of MedicationCitedCorrected Nov 10, 2023
Source: Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)
- 2023
Complaint investigation
No citations
Dated the day the investigation was completed; result: Substantiated.
Source: Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)
- 2022
Complaint investigation
No citations
Dated the day the investigation was completed; result: No Evidence to Substantiate.
Source: Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)
- 2022
Unannounced full compliance review
1 citation
- 30UPersonnel FilesCitedCorrected Nov 18, 2022
Source: Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)
- 2021
Complaint investigation
No citations
Dated the day the investigation was completed; result: No Evidence to Substantiate.
Source: Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)
Delaware’s Office of Child Care Licensing publishes each regulation it cites, not a risk level for it.
Context
Patterns Worth Examining
A repeated citation can merit attention, but context and corrective action must be reviewed before drawing a conclusion.
- 1
Diapering and Soiled Clothing, Cited in Three Visits
OCCL licensing staff cited 61U in October 2023, October 2024 and October 2025. The agency describes it this way: Diapering and Soiled Clothing. Delaware does not publish a risk level for each citation. Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
2122222323232323242424242425252525262661U across all 19 visits, oldest to newest - 2
Child Files, Cited in Two Visits
OCCL licensing staff cited 40U in October 2023 and October 2024. The agency describes it this way: Child Files. Delaware does not publish a risk level for each citation. Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
2122222323232323242424242425252525262640U across all 19 visits, oldest to newest - 3
Kitchen and Food Preparation, Cited in Two Visits
OCCL licensing staff cited 50U in October 2023 and October 2024. The agency describes it this way: Kitchen and Food Preparation. Delaware does not publish a risk level for each citation. Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
2122222323232323242424242425252525262650U across all 19 visits, oldest to newest - 4
Lesson Plans, Cited in Two Visits
OCCL licensing staff cited 74U in October 2024 and October 2025. The agency describes it this way: Lesson Plans. Delaware does not publish a risk level for each citation. Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
2122222323232323242424242425252525262674U across all 19 visits, oldest to newest - 5
Activity Areas, Cited in Two Visits
OCCL licensing staff cited 75U in October 2024 and October 2025. The agency describes it this way: Activity Areas. Delaware does not publish a risk level for each citation. Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
2122222323232323242424242425252525262675U across all 19 visits, oldest to newest - 6
Personnel Files, No Recorded Correction
30U was cited in October 2022, October 2023, October 2024, October 2025 and October 2026. The agency describes it this way: Personnel Files. Delaware does not publish a risk level for each citation. The October 2026 citation has no recorded correction date; its status reads “Marked corrected; no correction date recorded.” The record does not show whether the problem was fixed.
2122222323232323242424242425252525262630U across all 19 visits, oldest to newest - 7
Indoor Space, No Recorded Correction
49U was cited in October 2023 and October 2026. The agency describes it this way: Indoor Space. Delaware does not publish a risk level for each citation. The October 2026 citation has no recorded correction date; its status reads “Marked corrected; no correction date recorded.” The record does not show whether the problem was fixed.
2122222323232323242424242425252525262649U across all 19 visits, oldest to newest - 8
Toilet Facilities, No Recorded Correction
51U was cited in October 2026. The agency describes it this way: Toilet Facilities. Delaware does not publish a risk level for each citation. The October 2026 citation has no recorded correction date; its status reads “Marked corrected; no correction date recorded.” The record does not show whether the problem was fixed.
2122222323232323242424242425252525262651U across all 19 visits, oldest to newest - 9
Sleeping Accommodations and Safe Sleep Environments, No Recorded Correction
56U was cited in October 2026. The agency describes it this way: Sleeping Accommodations and Safe Sleep Environments. Delaware does not publish a risk level for each citation. The October 2026 citation has no recorded correction date; its status reads “Marked corrected; no correction date recorded.” The record does not show whether the problem was fixed.
2122222323232323242424242425252525262656U across all 19 visits, oldest to newest - 10
Administration of Medication, No Recorded Correction
63U was cited in October 2023 and October 2026. The agency describes it this way: Administration of Medication. Delaware does not publish a risk level for each citation. The October 2026 citation has no recorded correction date; its status reads “Marked corrected; no correction date recorded.” The record does not show whether the problem was fixed.
2122222323232323242424242425252525262663U across all 19 visits, oldest to newest
For Your Next Visit
Questions to Ask on Your Visit
Bring these to the tour. Each one comes from something in the record; the reason is under the question.
- 01
What changed after 61U was cited, and how do you check it now?
Diapering and Soiled Clothing: cited in three visits, with no risk level published.
- 02
What changed after 40U was cited, and how do you check it now?
Child Files: cited in two visits, with no risk level published.
- 03
What changed after 50U was cited, and how do you check it now?
Kitchen and Food Preparation: cited in two visits, with no risk level published.
- 04
What changed after 74U was cited, and how do you check it now?
Lesson Plans: cited in two visits, with no risk level published.
- 05
What changed after 75U was cited, and how do you check it now?
Activity Areas: cited in two visits, with no risk level published.
- 06
What changed after 30U was cited, and how do you check it now?
Personnel Files: cited in five visits, with no risk level published. The October 13, 2026 citation has no recorded correction date.
- 07
What changed after 49U was cited, and how do you check it now?
Indoor Space: cited in two visits, with no risk level published. The October 13, 2026 citation has no recorded correction date.
- 08
What changed after 51U was cited, and how do you check it now?
Toilet Facilities: cited in one visits, with no risk level published. The October 13, 2026 citation has no recorded correction date.
- 09
What changed after 56U was cited, and how do you check it now?
Sleeping Accommodations and Safe Sleep Environments: cited in one visits, with no risk level published. The October 13, 2026 citation has no recorded correction date.
- 10
What changed after 63U was cited, and how do you check it now?
Administration of Medication: cited in two visits, with no risk level published. The October 13, 2026 citation has no recorded correction date.
- 11
What is the ratio in the room my child would join, and how is every child accounted for at nap time, pickup and on the playground?
Ratios change through the day, so they are worth counting yourself on a visit.
- 12
Has the center ever been on probation or had its license suspended, and what changed afterward?
OCCL’s files list no enforcement action in this window.
The Evidence
Sources and Coverage
Program details, the regulations cited at compliance reviews and the results of complaint investigations are published by Delaware's Office of Child Care Licensing in its daily files on data.delaware.gov.
- Child care providers (data.delaware.gov)View Dataset ↗
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing · 1456251
Published Nov 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)View Dataset ↗
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing
Visit Dec 20, 2021 · Published Nov 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)View Dataset ↗
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing
Visit Oct 10, 2022 · Published Nov 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)View Dataset ↗
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing
Visit Nov 23, 2022 · Published Nov 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)View Dataset ↗
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing
Visit Jan 19, 2023 · Published Nov 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)View Dataset ↗
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing
Visit Oct 23, 2023 · Published Nov 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)View Dataset ↗
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing
Visit Nov 6, 2023 · Published Nov 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)View Dataset ↗
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing
Visit Nov 8, 2023 · Published Nov 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)View Dataset ↗
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing
Visit Dec 1, 2023 · Published Nov 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)View Dataset ↗
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing
Visit Feb 1, 2024 · Published Nov 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)View Dataset ↗
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing
Visit Jul 30, 2024 · Published Nov 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)View Dataset ↗
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing
Visit Oct 8, 2024 · Published Nov 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)View Dataset ↗
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing
Visit Oct 8, 2024 · Published Nov 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)View Dataset ↗
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing
Visit Nov 12, 2024 · Published Nov 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)View Dataset ↗
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing
Visit Jan 14, 2025 · Published Nov 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)View Dataset ↗
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing
Visit Apr 22, 2025 · Published Nov 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)View Dataset ↗
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing
Visit Jun 18, 2025 · Published Nov 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)View Dataset ↗
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing
Visit Oct 7, 2025 · Published Nov 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)View Dataset ↗
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing
Visit Jul 28, 2026 · Published Nov 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Compliance review or investigation (data.delaware.gov: wb83-pkcv and pnbd-85r6)View Dataset ↗
Delaware Office of Child Care Licensing
Visit Oct 13, 2026 · Published Nov 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Coverage
Record windowNovember 1, 2021 – November 1, 2026
- This record is OCCL's list of licensed providers as of November 2026, with the compliance reviews and investigations in OCCL's files, which run from November 2021.
- OCCL's compliance-review file lists only visits at which it cited a regulation; a visit with nothing cited is not in it, so a program may have had more visits than this record shows.
- OCCL's notes on each citation and its written conclusion for each investigation are left out because they can describe children and staff; the regulation cited, the correction date and each investigation's result are kept.
- Special conditions OCCL records on a license (a variance, or that a home is also a foster home) are left out, and license-exempt care is not in OCCL's list.
What This Report Cannot Tell You
- Visits with nothing cited
- OCCL's compliance-review file lists only visits at which a regulation was cited.
- Investigation conclusions
- Published by OCCL but left out of this record because they can describe children and staff.
- Severity of citations
- OCCL's files do not grade citations.
- Staff qualifications and turnover
- Not part of the published licensing record.
Historical coverage varies by agency and location. Missing records do not mean that no complaint or violation occurred.
Data architecture: Cierto supplies the source-backed machine-readable bundle. Life by Vardell independently creates the narrative, design, and consumer report.