Governor Reynolds Visits Bright Minds Campus

On August 27, 2024, Greater Dubuque Development, in partnership with Dubuque Initiatives, had the privilege of welcoming Governor Kim Reynolds to the Bright Minds Campus for a tour of this innovative workforce child care facility and award-winning initiative. A highlight of the visit was showcasing the Dubuque Community Y Early Learning Center, now fully operational, and celebrating the grand opening of the Seedlings Preschool Center, which is operated by the Dubuque Community School District.

The timing of Governor Reynolds’ visit could not have been more impactful. Due to extreme heat, the Dubuque Community School District called an unplanned early dismissal that afternoon. Thanks to the unique wrap-around care relationship at Bright Minds Campus, preschoolers were seamlessly transitioned from the preschool to the Y's Early Learning Center within the same building for continued child care. This ability to provide uninterrupted care is crucial for working parents, offering flexibility in situations where early dismissals or non-school days might otherwise create challenges.

With both child care operations now up and running, the Bright Minds Campus is also able to deliver on improving the landscape of opportunities for those passionate about working in child care. Shared staff positions between the Dubuque Community School District and the Dubuque Y have been established, allowing both organizations to maximize resources while offering more robust training and career opportunities for child care professionals. This integrated model supports both workforce development and high-quality care, strengthening the region's child care ecosystem.

Representatives from the Business Champions for Child Care, the City of Dubuque, Dubuque County, the Dubuque Y, the Dubuque Community School District, Dubuque Initiatives, and Greater Dubuque Development joined the tour, which was led by Dave Lyons, Strategic Initiatives consultant for Greater Dubuque Development.

During the visit, we also presented our vision for the future, which includes expanding the child care center to accommodate an additional 100 children and repurposing the building's original auditorium into a state-of-the-art Child Care Workforce Training Center. Once renovated, the auditorium will also serve as a county Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The tour provided an opportunity to request Governor Reynolds’ support in amending and expanding Dubuque Initiatives' existing Child Care Business Incentive Grant to help bring this vision to life.

For questions regarding Greater Dubuque Development's efforts to increase county-wide child care capacity, contact Nic Hockenberry, Director of Workforce Programming at 563-557-9049 or nicolash@greaterdubuque.org.