St. Monica Catholic School Early Learning Center

Center · Mercer Island · 4320 87th Ave SE

What kind of place is this?

Size 39 children licensed Smaller than the middle half of Seattle centers, where the middle half licenses 43–121. Measured across 576 Seattle centers, 2026-08-17.
Established 1960
Approach faith-based, play-based

In the program’s own words

“St. Monica Catholic School follows a Catholic Liberal Arts model which teaches students how to learn by presenting material based on their grade and particular interests, in an engaging and relevant fashion.” stmonicasea.org, August 2026
“We are a child-directed program that gives our students 3 hours of free play time each day (2 indoor and 1 outdoor) to explore their interests, stretch their imaginations, make peer connections, practice negotiating, build teamwork and exercise fine and gross motor muscles.” stmonicasea.org, August 2026

How this compares

Washington DCYF cited something at 4 of the 4 visits below. Across Seattle centers it cites something at about 67% of visits. Each state decides what gets written up, so this compares Seattle with Seattle and never with another state.

Who will be with our child?

Will it fit our family?

Hours 8:00 AM – 3:10 PM
Days / week 5
Schedule full-day, half-day (Early Release)

What will it cost us?

Preschool $1,050/mo about $7/hr
Application fee $150

What Shortlist has verified

License status Active
Website stmonicasea.org

State record — Washington DCYF

Last visit
November 19, 2025
On file
4 visits since December 2023 — all of them cited findings
Fixed?
Washington DCYF does not publish whether a finding was corrected.
Most serious
SeriousThe EpiPen medication for one child was stored without the required prescription label. Completed Date Disputed Date Disputed · November 19, 2025

Washington DCYF publishes the licensor’s own observation and a risk level for every citation it issues at a licensing visit, with the inspection report attached as a PDF.

Nov 2025 Licensing visit 3 findings

Licensing visit · November 19, 2025

Safety requirements

WAC 110-300-0165(2)(c) · Short Term

The cords forming a loop were accessible to children in both classrooms. Additionally, a long hose was observed on the ground outside, forming multiple loops. Completed Date Disputed Date Disputed

Medication

WAC 110-300-0215(3)(a)(i) · Serious

The EpiPen medication for one child was stored without the required prescription label. Completed Date Disputed Date Disputed

Supervising children

WAC 110-300-0345(5)(b) · Short Term

Both exit doors did not have a sound mechanism installed to alert when the door is opened.

Report (PDF)

Apr 2025 Licensing visit 2 findings

Licensing visit · April 10, 2025

Equipment and surfaces in outdoor early learning space

WAC 110-300-0146(1) / 110-300-0146(1)(a)(b) · Short Term / Serious

Five slides were placed too close to each other, not meeting the 6-foot fall zone requirement. The 4-foot fall zone was measured between the climbing wall and black platform on one side. 110-300-0146(1)(a)(b) - The chipped ground cover near the plastic slides measured less than 1 inch in some areas.

Food allergies and special dietary needs

WAC 110-300-0186(1) · Serious

The individual care plan for one child with an allergy was incomplete and did not include all required information.

Report (PDF)

Jan 2024 Licensing visit 2 findings

Licensing visit · January 4, 2024

Medication

WAC 110-300-0215(3)(a)(ii) · Serious

Child NE has Non-prescription medication that is not labeled with child's name and missing medication authorization form.

Training requirements

WAC 110-300-0106(4) · Serious

Staff, MM, does not have child abuse and neglect training.

Report (PDF)

Dec 2023 Licensing visit 5 findings

Licensing visit · December 7, 2023

Food allergies and special dietary needs

WAC 110-300-0186(1) · Serious

Individual care plan don't have all the necessary information.

Medication

WAC 110-300-0215(3)(a)(ii) · Serious

Child NE has Non-prescription medication that is not labeled with child's name and missing medication authorization form.

Emergency preparation and exiting

WAC 110-300-0166(3)(c) · Serious

Baby gate placed in an emergency exit. Sign in table placed in front of the emergency exit door.

Training requirements

WAC 110-300-0106(12) / 110-300-0106(4) · Serious

Staff MM and BS have expired food worker's permits. Staff MM don't have Basic training after 4 months of employment and none of the 5 required health and safety trainings.

Emergency preparedness plan

WAC 110-300-0470(4)(a) · Short Term

Monthly fire and quarterly emergency drills not performed as per WAC schedule. Staff not getting emergency preparedness training annually.

Report (PDF)

Before you tour

Ask what changed after the nine findings Washington DCYF ranked Serious, most recently in November 2025.It does not publish whether a finding was fixed. The rest carry its lower risk levels.

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

Who will be with our child

Not yet reported: children per teacher.

Will it fit our family

Not yet reported: ages served, holiday closures.

What will it cost us

Pricing per provider website, checked July 2026.

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 St. Monica Catholic School Early Learning Center? Shortlist has no tuition, hours or ratios for it, because the state does not publish that. Add what is missing. It is free and takes about ten minutes.