Mercer Island · Licensed center
Creative Learning Center Montessori
At a glance
- Medium Montessori center, licensed for 48 children.
What to know
The license is the range the state allows. It does not say which ages have openings.
What the state has found
The state cited rules at all 3 of its licensing inspections since January 2024. It lists no valid complaint about this center.
See each inspection
Licensing inspections
Sep 26, 20252 citations
Training requirementsSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“During the visit, it was observed that several staff members had expired food handler permits.”
WAC 110-300-0106(12)
Equipment and surfaces in outdoor early learning spaceSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“On the playground, two slides were placed directly on the ground without maintaining the required six-foot fall zone. One slide was placed on a turf grass surface, which does not provide adequate impact-absorbing material.”
WAC 110-300-0146(1)(a)(b)
Jul 12, 20242 citations
Food allergies and special dietary needsSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“The individual care plan stored with the prescription medication was observed to be unsigned by the healthcare provider.”
WAC 110-300-0186(1)
Training requirementsShort Term. Fix within 10 business days. Rechecked within 15.
“One teacher did not complete the Bloodborne Pathogen (BBP) class, and another teacher did not complete the Child Care Basics class, both of which are required within the first three months of employment.”
WAC 110-300-0106(3)
Jan 11, 20243 citations
Food allergies and special dietary needsSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“Child C. does not have individual care plan for dairy allergy. Child SL allergic to tomato- no individula care plan. Child O. allergic to fish- no individula care plan. Child EY has Benadryl and Ep-pen for nut allergy. Individula care plan is missing information about symptoms, substitute foods, names of medications and how to administer medications. The plan is not signed by a medical provider. Parents have not trained staff on medication administration.”
WAC 110-300-0186(1), WAC 110-300-0186(2)
Safety requirementsSerious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“Window blinds were loose, not attached to safety hooks on the wall. Plastic bags accessible under the sink in classroom 2.”
WAC 110-300-0165(2)(b), WAC 110-300-0165(2)(d)
Training requirementsShort Term. Fix within 10 business days. Rechecked within 15. Serious. Fix within 5 business days. The licensor rechecks within 10.
“Staff MK and SV, and SK don't have CORE training after 3 months of employment. Staff MK doesn't have emergency prepredenss, children experiencing homelessnes, or child abuse neglect, and exploitation training. Staff SV doesn't have emergency prepredenss, children experiencing homelessnes, or child abuse neglect, and exploitation training. staff SK Staff MK doesn't have emergency prepredenss, children experiencing homelessnes, or child abuse neglect, and exploitation training. Staff SK doesn't have food worker training.”
WAC 110-300-0106(3), WAC 110-300-0106(4), WAC 110-300-0106(12)
The state cited rules at all 3 of this center's inspections. Most Seattle-area centers inspected 3 times had fewer: 67% of 364.
How all 364 Seattle-area centers inspected 3 times compare
Of the 364 Seattle-area centers the state inspected 3 times, how many of those inspections cited a rule:
- None12%
- 1 of 321%
- 2 of 335%
- All 333%This center
Read every record and the state’s reports
State record — Washington DCYF
- Last visit
- September 26, 2025
- On file
- 3 visits since January 2024 — all of them cited findings
- Most serious
- Serious —
During the visit, it was observed that several staff members had expired food handler permits.
· September 26, 2025
Washington DCYF publishes each citation in the licensor’s own words, with a risk level.
Sep 2025 Licensing visit 2 findings
Licensing visit · September 26, 2025
WAC 110-300-0106(12) · Serious
During the visit, it was observed that several staff members had expired food handler permits.
Equipment and surfaces in outdoor early learning space
WAC 110-300-0146(1)(a)(b) · Serious
On the playground, two slides were placed directly on the ground without maintaining the required six-foot fall zone. One slide was placed on a turf grass surface, which does not provide adequate impact-absorbing material.
Jul 2024 Licensing visit 2 findings
Licensing visit · July 12, 2024
WAC 110-300-0106(3) · Short Term
One teacher did not complete the Bloodborne Pathogen (BBP) class, and another teacher did not complete the Child Care Basics class, both of which are required within the first three months of employment.
Food allergies and special dietary needs
WAC 110-300-0186(1) · Serious
The individual care plan stored with the prescription medication was observed to be unsigned by the healthcare provider.
Jan 2024 Licensing visit 3 findings
Licensing visit · January 11, 2024
Food allergies and special dietary needs
WAC 110-300-0186(1) / 110-300-0186(2) · Serious
Child C. does not have individual care plan for dairy allergy. Child SL allergic to tomato- no individula care plan. Child O. allergic to fish- no individula care plan. Child EY has Benadryl and Ep-pen for nut allergy. Individula care plan is missing information about symptoms, substitute foods, names of medications and how to administer medications. The plan is not signed by a medical provider. Parents have not trained staff on medication administration.
WAC 110-300-0165(2)(b) / 110-300-0165(2)(d) · Serious
Window blinds were loose, not attached to safety hooks on the wall. Plastic bags accessible under the sink in classroom 2.
WAC 110-300-0106(3) / 110-300-0106(4) / 110-300-0106(12) · Short Term / Serious
Staff MK and SV, and SK don't have CORE training after 3 months of employment. Staff MK doesn't have emergency prepredenss, children experiencing homelessnes, or child abuse neglect, and exploitation training. Staff SV doesn't have emergency prepredenss, children experiencing homelessnes, or child abuse neglect, and exploitation training. staff SK Staff MK doesn't have emergency prepredenss, children experiencing homelessnes, or child abuse neglect, and exploitation training. Staff SK doesn't have food worker training.
Shortlist replaces people’s names in the state’s text with initials. This is done by rule, not by hand, so it can miss a name or shorten a word that isn’t one. The state’s report, linked on each row, has the original.
What it costs
We couldn’t find it, so if you know, please share. We’ll publish it and work to confirm it with the provider directly too.
How they teach
Montessori
“Guided by Montessori principles, we nurture each child's natural curiosity, independence, and love of learning through hands-on experiences and thoughtful guidance.”
Who cares for your child
Miss Marilyn (Owner) since 1994, Marilyn Wellnitz (Owner) since 1994, Miss Aui (Co-Director/ Montessori Certified /Admin) since 2014 and Miss Paula (Island Room - Lead Teacher - Montessori Certified) since 2017.
32 years · Seattle-area median 13, among 77 that publish
Details
- Phone
- (206) 232-8900
- Address
- 8236 SE 24th Street, Mercer Island, 98040
- License
- PL-18728
- Quality program
- Early Achievers Enrolled
- Established
- 1994
We couldn’t find some information that may matter to your decision: openings, Working Connections subsidy, cost, hours and late pickup, a typical day, sick and biting policies, and who owns it. We can ask the program for you and copy you in.
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.
How they teach
- Approach — Checked October 2026 clcmontessori.com
Who cares for your child
- Staff clcmontessori.com
State record
From Washington DCYF’s published reports, last checked November 3, 2026.
Washington’s four risk levels, highest first: Immediate, Serious, Short Term, Long Term. Deadlines from DCYF procedure PRO 10.1.21.
Ages
Details
- Phone — Checked April 2026 clcmontessori.com
- Website — Checked July 2026 clcmontessori.com
- Address, Quality program — Checked June 2026 data.wa.gov
- License — Checked April 2026 findchildcarewa.org
- Ages on the license — Checked September 2026 findchildcarewa.org
- Established — Checked September 2026 clcmontessori.com
Medium means the middle half of Seattle-area’s 855 licensed centers by state-licensed capacity: 41 to 115 children. Small is 6 to 40; large is 116 to 323.
The ages on the license are what the state licenses it to care for, which can be wider than the ages it takes.