La Petite Academy

Center · Thornton · 3900 E 124th Ave

What kind of place is this?

Size 109 children licensed In the middle half for Denver centers, where the middle half licenses 40–113. Measured across 1,156 Denver centers, 2026-08-17.
Approach play-based

In the program’s own words

“Learn as We Grow ® uses hands-on, play-based, and inquiry-driven experiences that cultivate children's future-ready skills.” lapetite.com, July 2026

Who runs it

Chain La Petite Academy
Owner American Securities (via Learning Care Group) Owned by Learning Care Group, a portfolio company of private-equity firm American Securities (with PSP Investments). american-securities.com

La Petite Academy runs 11 licensed locations in Denver.

Who will be with our child?

Will it fit our family?

Ages served 12 Months - 10 Years
Hours 6:30 AM – 6:00 PM
Days / week 5
Schedule part-time
Holiday closures New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, the day after Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day; closed for in-service training on Presidents' Day and Columbus Day

What will it cost us?

This provider does not publish pricing.

What Shortlist has verified

State quality rating Colorado Shines Level 4
License status Active
Website lapetite.com

State record — Colorado Department of Early Childhood

Last visit
May 7, 2026
On file
3 visits since July 2024 — all of them cited findings
Fixed?
The latest correction deadline was June 7, 2026. Colorado Department of Early Childhood does not publish whether it was made.
Most serious
Colorado Department of Early Childhood does not publish a severity level for a citation, so there is no most-serious to name.

Colorado’s Department of Early Childhood lists each program’s complaints on its Colorado Shines page, with the department’s verdict on each and a report behind it, going back about three years. Older complaints are released only on request. The department does not rank complaints by severity in either place.

May 2026 Supervisory visit 7 findings

Supervisory visit · May 7, 2026

2.213.G · Correction due May 7, 2026

Reviewed 7 staff files. One staff missing documentation of a current child abuse prevention training.

Required correction: Immediately, the child abuse prevention training must be renewed annually. Submit documentation and a written statement of compliance to the licensing specialist. Correct by 05/07/2026

2.219.B.1

Reviewed 8 child files. 2 immunization records submitted on the incorrect form, and one immunization record missing from the child's file.

2.219.B.2 · Correction due June 7, 2026

Reviewed 8 child files. 2 children missing written health statements from a health care provider.

Required correction: Within the first 30 days of admission, a health statement from a health care provider must be submitted to the facility. Submit a written statement of compliance to the licensing specialist. Correct by 06/07/2026

2.219.B.4

Reviewed 8 child files. All 6 children missing updated health statements.

Required correction: All children must have updated health statements in accordance with the AAP recommendations. Submit a

2.230.C.1.c · Correction due May 7, 2026

Identified the mulch on all playgrounds is not being raked and fluffed regularly to retain resiliency.

Required correction: Immediately, loose fill resilient surface must be raked regularly to retain resilience. Submit a written statement of compliance to the licensing specialist. Correct by 05/07/2026

2.230.C.1.a · Correction due May 7, 2026

On the Early Preschool/Twos playground, the climbing equipment and slides lacking 6 inches of resilient surface in the use zone.

Required correction: Immediately, all climbing equipment must have resilient surfacing of at least 6 inches in the use zone at all times. Submit photo documentation and a written statement of compliance to the licensing specialist. Correct by 05/07/2026

2.237.B · Correction due May 7, 2026

On the Early Preschool/Twos playground, a fence slat was warped and coming off the fence creating a safety hazard for children.

Required correction: Immediately, buildings must be kept in good repair and maintained in a safe condition at all times. Submit photo documentation and a written statement of compliance to the licensing specialist. Correct by 05/07/2026

State records file

Jun 2025 Supervisory visit 15 findings

Supervisory visit · June 12, 2025

2.206.A · Correction due June 12, 2025

Reviewed eight children's records and observed one child's record to be missing documentation of the required signed document stating that the parental or guardian have received and agreed to the policies and procedures.

Required correction: Obtain documentation of the required signed document stating that the parental or guardian have received and agreed to the policies and procedures for all children's records. Correct immediately by 6.12.2025, and submit a written statement of compliance to the Specialist by 7.12.2025. Correct by 06/12/2025

2.219.B.4

Reviewed eight children's records and observed eight children to be missing and or have expired health statements.

2.209.A.7 · Correction due June 12, 2025

Reviewed eight children's records and observed six of those records to be missing documentation of current emergency medical authorizations, posing a potential safety hazard.

Required correction: Obtain current emergency medical authorizations for all children's records. Correct immediately by 6.12.2025, and submit a written statement of compliance to the Specialist by 7.12.2025. Correct by 06/12/2025

2.213.B · Correction due June 12, 2025

Reviewed seven staff records and observed four staff members Donna W. (DOH 8.26.1991), Railynn M. (5.2023), Vincent C. (DOH 2.21.2021), and Patricia B. (DOH 8.8.2024 to be missing documentation of the required Standard Precautions training.

Required correction: Obtain the required Standard Precautions training for all staff members as required. Correct immediately by 6.12.2025, and submit a written statement of compliance to the Specialist by 7.12.2025. Correct by 06/12/2025

2.213.F

Reviewed seven staff records and observed two staff members Railynn M. (5.2023) and Vincent C. (DOH 2.21.2021) to be missing documentation of the required first aid and CPR module.

2.213.G · Correction due June 12, 2025

Reviewed seven staff records and observed four staff members Kristien H. (DOH 12.18.2018), Donna W. (DOH 8.26.1991), Railynn M. (5.2023), and Patricia B. (DOH 8.8.2024 to be missing documentation of the required Child Abuse Prevention training.

Required correction: Obtain the required Child Abuse Prevention training for all staff members as required. Correct immediately by 6.12.2025, and submit a written statement of compliance to the Specialist by 7.12.2025. Correct by 06/12/2025

2.219.B.1

Reviewed eight children's records and observed four children to be missing documentation of the required immunization record.

2.120.C.1.a · Correction due June 12, 2025

Reviewed seven staff records and observed one staff member Patricia R. (DOH 8.8.2024)and Kristien H. (DOH 12.18.2018) to be missing documentation of the required Trails background check.

Required correction: Obtain Trails background checks for all staff as required. Correct immediately by 6.12.2025, and submit a written statement of compliance and documentation of the background to the Specialist by 7.12.2025. Correct by 06/12/2025

2.220.K · Correction due June 12, 2025

Reviewed eight children's records and observed two children to be missing documentation of the required topical preparation permission.

Required correction: Obtain the required topical preparations for all children's records. Correct immediately by 6.12.2025, and submit a written statement of compliance to the Specialist by 7.12.2025. Correct by 06/12/2025

2.229.C · Correction due June 12, 2025

Saline solution and shave cream labeled "keep out of reach of children" in the preschool classroom and accessible to children.

Required correction: Items labeled "keep out of reach of children must be inaccessible to children". Corrected at the time of the inspection. The Assistant Director removed the items from within reach of children. No response required. Correct by 06/12/2025

2.213.N · Correction due July 12, 2025

Identified that the Director is responsible for collecting and reviewing immunization records and observed the required immunization training to be missing.

Required correction: Obtain the required immunization training for staff who are responsible for collection review, and maintenance of immunization records. Correct by 7.12.2025 and submit a written statement of compliance to the Specialist. Correct by 07/12/2025

2.226.C.2 · Correction due June 12, 2025

The school-age classroom to be supervised by two staff members who are not early childhood teacher qualified, posing a potential safety hazard.

Required correction: Each group of children must be supervised by someone who is early childhood teacher qualified. Correct immediately by 6.12.2025, and submit a written statement of compliance to the Specialist by 7.12.2025. Correct by 06/12/2025

2.121.J.1 · Correction due June 12, 2025

Identified through the out of state background check list that staff member Patricia B. (DOH 8.8.2024) lived outside of the state of Colorado in the last five years. Observed documentation of the required out of state background clearance letter to be missing.

Required correction: Obtain the required background checks for all staff members as required. Correct immediately by 6.12.2025, and submit a written statement of compliance and documentation of the background check to the Specialist by 7.12.2025. Correct by 06/12/2025

2.138.A · Correction due June 12, 2025

Documentation of emergency drills were unavailable for March and April 2025.

Required correction: Emergency drills must be practiced as required. Correct immediately by 6.12.2025, and submit a written statement of compliance to the Specialist by 7.12.2025. Correct by 06/12/2025

2.122.A

The most recent fire inspection failed the inspection posing a potential safety hazard.

State records file

Jul 2024 Supervisory visit 4 findings

Supervisory visit · July 22, 2024

2.213.B · Correction due July 22, 2024

Reviewed 11 staff files and identified Zariah J. to have expired Department Approved Standard Precautions training certificate. (6/30/2024)

Required correction: Obtain current Department Approved Standard Precautions certificates for all staff and maintain in staff files. Correct immediately or prior to working with children Correct by 07/22/2024

2.213.G · Correction due August 22, 2024

Reviewed 11 staff files and identified Zariah J. (6/30/2024) and Annette K. (5/2024) to have expired Department Approved training about Child Abuse Prevention certificate.

Required correction: Obtain current Department approved Child Abuse Prevention certificate for all staff and maintain in staff files. Correct by 08/22/2024

2.219.B.1 · Correction due July 22, 2024

Reviewed 7 children files and observed 2 files to be missing proof of Immunizations.

Required correction: Obtain current proof of immunizations for all children and maintain in child files. Correct immediately Correct by 07/22/2024

2.219.B.2 · Correction due August 22, 2024

Reviewed 7 children files and observed five files to be missing current health statements.

Required correction: Obtain current health statements for all children and maintain in child files. Correct by 08/22/2024

State records file

Where this record comes from

The Department of Early Childhood keeps about three years of complaints on a program’s public page. Anything older is released only on request, as a single file covering the whole state. Shortlist asked for that file under the Colorado Open Records Act and renews it yearly; it is what this page shows for complaints older than the department’s own window.

The file this page is built from arrived on September 13, 2026 and covers complaints the department publishes today, and complaints back to January 2023 obtained by records request. The next request goes in September 2027.

The department publishes a report for each of these visits. Shortlist has not read those reports yet, so this page shows when the state came and not what it found.

Ask for this program’s record now

The department will also review one program’s complete file on request, which is more than either source above contains. Leave your email and Shortlist will ask for La Petite Academy’s file specifically, instead of waiting for the next one.

Before you tour

La Petite Academy hasn’t published

Cost, sick and biting policies.

Ask which of these findings were serious, and what changed.Colorado Department of Early Childhood publishes a correction deadline, never whether the work was done or how serious it was.

Sources and dates

Where every fact on this page came from, and when Shortlist last checked it against that source. Anything Shortlist could not source is named here rather than left blank.

What kind of place is this

Not yet reported: established.

Who runs it

Who will be with our child

Not yet reported: children per teacher.

Will it fit our family

Licensing and contact

State record

Every state visit and complaint on file, shown in full and never edited. Open a date to read what the state wrote.

Do you run La Petite Academy? Shortlist has no tuition, ratios or policies for it, because the state does not publish that. Add what is missing. It is free and takes about ten minutes.