MERRICK WOODS COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL

Inspection summary

MERRICK WOODS COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL has been inspected 21 times by New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) since October 22, 2008. The most recent inspection, on July 30, 2025, found no infractions.

12 of 21 inspections on record found no infractions at all. No inspections are on record from the past 12 months. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Handwashing and staff hygiene, Pests and Food temperature control.

The last 2 inspections in a row found no infractions. The number of infractions per inspection has stayed roughly the same over time.

What these findings mean

Health authorities word their violations differently, so we group them by what they mean for food safety. Higher-risk findings are the ones inspectors treat as critical, because they can directly make someone sick.

• Handwashing and staff hygieneHigher risk

  Hands are the main way germs like norovirus move from people to food. Inspectors look for stocked, accessible handwashing sinks, staff washing hands when required, hair restraints, and sick employees being kept away from food. Gaps here can spread illness quickly.

  Recorded 4 times across 4 separate inspections, most recently on August 12, 2019. For example: Toilet facilities inadequate, inconvenient, dirty, in disrepair, toilet paper missing, not self-closing doors, missing hand wash signs

• PestsHigher risk

  Signs of mice, rats, cockroaches or flies, or gaps and clutter that let them get in or hide. Pests carry bacteria and can contaminate food and surfaces, so evidence of activity is treated seriously and usually triggers a follow-up visit.

  Recorded 4 times across 4 separate inspections, most recently on February 6, 2017. For example: Insects, rodents present

• Food temperature controlHigher risk

  Bacteria multiply fastest between about 4 °C and 60 °C (40 °F to 140 °F). Inspectors check that cold food stays cold, hot food stays hot, cooked food is cooled quickly, and that staff have accurate thermometers. Temperature problems are one of the most common causes of food poisoning, so these are treated as critical findings.

  Recorded 3 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on February 6, 2017. For example: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate potentially hazardous food temperatures during cooking, cooling, reheating and holding.

• Chemicals and toxic substancesHigher risk

  Cleaning products, sanitizers and pesticides must be labelled and stored away from food and food-contact surfaces. Inspectors flag chemicals that could end up in food, as well as pest treatments applied without proper supervision.

  Recorded 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on December 12, 2016. For example: Toxic chemicals are improperly labeled, stored or used so that contamination of food can occur.

• Equipment and utensilsLower risk

  Equipment has to be built from cleanable materials, kept in good repair and stored properly. These findings are mostly about upkeep, like a cracked shelf, a worn gasket or utensils stored the wrong way. They are generally lower risk but show how well the kitchen is maintained.

  Recorded 4 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on August 12, 2019. For example: In use food dispensing utensils improperly stored

About this data

These results come from New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), which inspects food premises and other public facilities in this area. We republish the authority's public disclosure data and refresh it regularly; the official record is the final word.

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