Quad Cities Campus


WIU-QC Spanish Bilingual Early Learning and Family Empowerment Lab Site


Vision

Rocky’s Play Space is a Spanish Bilingual Early Learning Lab Site and Childcare Center operated by Western Illinois University Quad Cities. Our vision is to provide an accessible child-led, play-based, and culturally and linguistically appropriate learning journey for young children and their families.

Mission

Our mission is to equip each child and their family with an equity mindset, learning readiness, social consciousness, and a true sense of love and joy through a dual language model. We will serve as a living, breathing, learning, and practice space in the Quad City Community for students pursuing early childhood-related careers, and the current early care and education workforce that serves our community.


Goals

  1. Staff will use evidence-based practices to help Children develop 21st century skills, including early literacy and math, to be learning ready for a society that depends on curiosity, creativity, solution-seeking, and collaboration to be successful.
  2. Children will develop a bilingual brain through evidence-based language development processes, with a focus on emergent Spanish Bilingual Programming and Developmentally Appropriate Practices.
  3. Children and families will engage in play and joyful learning experiences that help promote a dedication to lifelong learning and asset-based thinking.
  4. Children, families, and staff will engage in anti-bias and social emotional learning and practices to help develop advocacy and a commitment to justice and well-being in our learning community.
  5. Staff will partner with the community to help create systems of support for families and children.
WIU-QC Spanish Bilingual Early Learning and Family Empowerment Lab Site

Research-Base and Standards Considerations

Rocky’s Play Space will follow a project-based learning approach rooted in Reggio Emilia’s practices - the child is actively engaged with their learning and environment. We will also apply native language development strategies for early education, including the following key practices: translanguaging, interactional protocols, and culturally affirming strategies in an 80/20 language allocation Dual Language model. There will be connections to the following: NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) Standards and Developmentally Appropriate Practices, WIDA Early Years Recommendations, IL Competencies for Early Care and Education, IL, IL Early Learning and Development Standards, the Illinois Literacy Framework, IL Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Standards, and DEC (Division for Early Childhood) Recommended Practices.

WIU-QC Spanish Bilingual Early Learning and Family Empowerment Lab Site

Meet Our Staff

Dr. Lindsay Meeker
WIU-QC Lab Site Project Director
LC-Dennison@wiu.edu

Dr. Eduardo Pérez
Director, WIU-Quad Cities Spanish Bilingual Early Learning and Family Empowerment Lab Site
EE-Perez2@wiu.edu

Emily Ferreyra
WIU-QC Spanish Bilingual Family Coordinator
EZ-Ferreyra@wiu.edu

Meet Our Advisory Board

Information coming soon!

Parent Mentors

The parent mentors over 10,000 hours a year in pre-K through middle school in Moline and East Moline, operating in over seven community schools. They also work in Plano, Macomb, and Barry, IL, extending their reach state-wide. Additionally, they serve on an advisory board for the Moline mayor, exploring various financial opportunities for the communities. They act as advisors and council members for Raising Illinois, assisting with lab site development and setup. Over 25 mentors are enrolled in WIU education pathways, taking courses and pre-degree programs focused on early childhood education, curriculum preparation, and adult ESL, with the goal of becoming teachers within five years. Lindsay Meeker oversees this initiative across the state, while Rolando organizes the ladders program. They are actively involved with WQPT and community events such as Mercado and United Way, contributing to the Born Learning program.



THANK YOU DONORS!

“It takes a Village” is a common phrase in the world of all things children, and that is true for our lab site as well! In addition to the financial and energy commitment of Western Illinois University, the community has shown up in generous ways to support this project. Additional donors have also contributed through fundraising events throughout the last two years and we have also received grant dollars through state affiliated grant opportunities. Please see below for local donors that have contributed donations or grant options of $5000 or more, as well as a link to donate to the project as it continues to develop. All of the donations, small and large are working together to create a new equitable and inclusive early care and education opportunity in the Quad Cities!

  • Quad Cities Community Foundation
  • The Moline Regional Community Foundation
  • The Ontiveros Family
  • The City of Moline
  • WIU Foundation