Seattle · Licensed center

Bitter Lake Community Center

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What the state has found

Someone reported a concern to the state, and in January 2024 the state found it valid. The state also cited rules at all 4 of its licensing inspections since June 2023.

Of the 239 Seattle-area centers with 4 licensing inspections, 29% had rules cited at all 4, as this center did. 7% had none cited.

Complaints the state found valid

Someone reported a concern. The state investigated and found reasonable cause to believe a licensing rule was broken.

Received Dec 4, 2023Valid complaintresolved Jan 25, 2024
The state’s report (PDF)

Of the 218 Seattle-area centers licensed for 6 to 40 children, 195 (89%) have no valid complaint in the last three years; 23 (11%) have one or more, as this center does.

Licensing inspections

Mar 17, 20262 citations

  • “At the time of inspection, one child file reviewed did not have dental provider.”

    WAC 110-300-0460(3)

  • “At the time of inspection, a small fridge placed on the counter was not secured, fragile items wer observed on top of the fridge; a lampshade placed on top of a shelving unit was not secured; a lampshade placed on the windowsill was not secured.”

    WAC 110-300-0165(3)(f)

Mar 4, 20253 citations

  • “At the time of file review, the volunteer staff observed to be counted in ratio did not have documentation of cleared background check 0105 (3) At the time of file review, the volunteer staff observed to be counted in ratio did not have documentation of TB test”

    WAC 110-300-0105(2)

  • “At the time of inspection, the volunteer staff observed to be counted in ratio has not yet completed the recognizing and reporting suspected child abuse, neglect and exploitation training. 0106 (5) At the time of inspection, the volunteer staff observed to be counted in ratio has not yet completed the emergency preparedness training 0106 (7) At the time of inspection, the volunteer staff observed to be counted in ratio has not yet completed the serving children experiencing homelessness training 0106 (9) At the time of inspection, the volunteer staff observed to be counted in ratio has not yet completed the medication management training 0106 (10) At the time of inspection, the volunteer staff observed to be counted in ratio did not have documentation of blood borne pathogens training 0106 (11) At the time of inspection, the volunteer staff observed to be counted in ratio did not have documentation of CPR/first aid training 0106 (12) At the time of inspection, the volunteer staff observed to be counted in ratio did not have documentation of food handler training”

    WAC 110-300-0106(4), WAC 110-300-0106(10), WAC 110-300-0106(12)

  • “At the time of inspection, the volunteer staff observed to be counted in ratio did not have documentation of completed CPR/first aid training.”

    WAC 110-300-0230(1)

Mar 18, 20242 citations

  • “There is an Epi Pen that is expired.”

    WAC 110-300-0215(3)(a)(i)

  • “Staff are not signing in and out.”

    WAC 110-300-0455(3)

Jun 21, 20231 citation

  • “Staff S. T. did not have documentation of BBP training; no training information entered in MERIT. Director has not renewed BBP training per L&I requirements. 0106 (11) Staff S. T. did not have documentation of First aid /CPR; no training information entered in MERIT 0106 (12) Staff S. T. did not have documentation of Food handler training; no training information entered in MERIT 0106 (3) Staff S. T. did not have documentation of 30 hours childcare basics; no training information entered in MERIT”

    WAC 110-300-0106(12)

Read every record and the state’s reports

State record — Washington DCYF

Last visit
March 17, 2026
On file
4 visits since June 2023 — all of them cited findings · 1 complaint investigation
Most serious
Serious — At the time of file review, the volunteer staff observed to be counted in ratio did not have documentation of cleared background check 0105 (3) At the time of file review, the volunteer staff observed to be counted in ratio did not have documentation of TB test · March 4, 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.

Mar 2026 Licensing visit 2 findings

Licensing visit · March 17, 2026

Child records

WAC 110-300-0460(3) · Short Term

At the time of inspection, one child file reviewed did not have dental provider.

Safety requirements

WAC 110-300-0165(3)(f) · Short Term

At the time of inspection, a small fridge placed on the counter was not secured, fragile items wer observed on top of the fridge; a lampshade placed on top of a shelving unit was not secured; a lampshade placed on the windowsill was not secured.

Report (PDF)

Mar 2025 Licensing visit 3 findings

Licensing visit · March 4, 2025

Preservice requirements

WAC 110-300-0105(2) · Serious

At the time of file review, the volunteer staff observed to be counted in ratio did not have documentation of cleared background check 0105 (3) At the time of file review, the volunteer staff observed to be counted in ratio did not have documentation of TB test

First-aid—CPR certification and supplies

WAC 110-300-0230(1) · Short Term

At the time of inspection, the volunteer staff observed to be counted in ratio did not have documentation of completed CPR/first aid training.

Training requirements

WAC 110-300-0106(4) / 110-300-0106(10) / 110-300-0106(12) · Serious / Short Term

At the time of inspection, the volunteer staff observed to be counted in ratio has not yet completed the recognizing and reporting suspected child abuse, neglect and exploitation training. 0106 (5) At the time of inspection, the volunteer staff observed to be counted in ratio has not yet completed the emergency preparedness training 0106 (7) At the time of inspection, the volunteer staff observed to be counted in ratio has not yet completed the serving children experiencing homelessness training 0106 (9) At the time of inspection, the volunteer staff observed to be counted in ratio has not yet completed the medication management training 0106 (10) At the time of inspection, the volunteer staff observed to be counted in ratio did not have documentation of blood borne pathogens training 0106 (11) At the time of inspection, the volunteer staff observed to be counted in ratio did not have documentation of CPR/first aid training 0106 (12) At the time of inspection, the volunteer staff observed to be counted in ratio did not have documentation of food handler training

Report (PDF)

Mar 2024 Licensing visit 2 findings

Licensing visit · March 18, 2024

Attendance records

WAC 110-300-0455(3) · Long Term

Staff are not signing in and out.

Medication

WAC 110-300-0215(3)(a)(i) · Serious

There is an Epi Pen that is expired.

Report (PDF)

Dec 2023 Complaint 1 valid issue

Complaint · Received December 4, 2023 · Resolved January 25, 2024

Reported to the state by the program

Serious injury, valid issues and self-report are Washington’s own fields on its complaint listing.

The state’s report (PDF)

Jun 2023 Licensing visit 1 finding

Licensing visit · June 21, 2023

Training requirements

WAC 110-300-0106(12) · Serious

Staff S. T. did not have documentation of BBP training; no training information entered in MERIT. Director has not renewed BBP training per L&I requirements. 0106 (11) Staff S. T. did not have documentation of First aid /CPR; no training information entered in MERIT 0106 (12) Staff S. T. did not have documentation of Food handler training; no training information entered in MERIT 0106 (3) Staff S. T. did not have documentation of 30 hours childcare basics; no training information entered in MERIT

Report (PDF)

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.

Openings, Working Connections subsidy, tuition, and ratios and staff aren’t on this page.

How they teach

Creative Curriculum

“Seattle Preschool Program (SPP) utilizes Creative Curriculum for Preschool from Teaching Strategies Gold (TSG).”

What it costs

Application fee
$50
Deposit
$25, not refundable

A day here

Hours
7:30 AM to 6:00 PM, 5 days a week, school year
Meals
Morning and afternoon snack provided at school-age camp; families pack lunch (the brand’s policy for all its schools)
Schedule
full-day (the brand’s policy for all its schools)
Closed
11 holidays and breaks a year
Dates9/7 Labor Day, 10/9 State In-Service Day, 10/12 Indigenous Peoples’ Day, 11/11 Veteran’s Day, 11/26-11/27 Thanksgiving Break, 12/21-1/2 Winter Break, 1/18 MLK Day, 2/15 President’s Day, 2/16-2/19 Mid-Winter Break, 4/12-4/16 Spring Break, 5/31 Memorial Day (the brand’s policy for all its schools)

Policies

When a child is sick
Return when symptoms are improving overall and no fever (without fever-reducing medication) for at least 24 hours (the brand’s policy for all its schools)
Special needs
Additional forms required for children with special needs or disabilities (the brand’s policy for all its schools)

Details

(206) 423-4274

Website
seattle.gov
Address
13035 Linden Ave N
License
PL-10688, active
Quality program
Early Achievers Enrolled
Ages they serve
3-5 (Seattle Preschool Program); 5-12 (school-age care)

Nearby

The eight closest of the 14 other licensed centers in ZIP 98133

All in ZIP 98133

Run Bitter Lake Community Center? Correct or add anything here, free.

Add what is missing
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

What it costs

State record

From Washington DCYF’s published reports, last checked October 11, 2026.

A day here

Policies

Details

Small means the smallest quarter of Seattle-area’s 859 licensed centers by state-licensed capacity: 6 to 40 children. Medium is 41 to 114; large is 115 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.

Nearby

The other centers’ visit lines are from Washington DCYF’s published reports as Shortlist read them on October 11, 2026.