On February 7, 2024, Rock Island Economic Growth Corporation d/b/a Economic Growth Corporation (GROWTH) reached a monumental milestone by successfully closing on the complex financing needed to signal commencement of construction for the historic, adaptive-reuse redevelopment of McKee Hall/Hostetter Hall and Dezendorf Hall within Shimer Square. This achievement marks the official start in transforming McKee Hall/Hostetter Hall and Dezendorf Hall into 51 units of quality, affordable rental apartments, catering to various living preferences and lifestyles. The redevelopment effort, with total development... Read More

Rock Island High School INCubadatoredu students have been busy! Last Thursday RIHS team The Swaver was the opening act of Fortress Bank’s 2nd annual Bank Tank Entrepreneur pitch competition. The team represented represented the district very well. Swaver is a product you put in your toilet tank that reduces the amount of water flushed, thereby saving both water and money. They received a $5,000 donation to our Incubatoredu program. Then over the weekend, three teams of Incubatoredu Entrepreneurship students had tables at the Black Expo held at Southpark Mall. They did a great job working... Read More

Shoutout to Rock Island’s Edison Junior High wrestling team who competed in regionals this weekend! It was a great day for the Eagles and we are extremely proud of all of our wrestlers for a great season! Also a big thank you to our coaches, Coach Corlett and Coach Quick for all their hard word this season! Featured are some of our wrestlers that will be advancing. Damiaz Abbey Kendell Brown Jayson Fry Coco Htoo Daniel Htoo Thaliyah Nimmers  Read More

 Rock Island High School held a Black History Program yesterday for the students. Rocky’s African American Heritage Club puts together an outstanding program every year. This year’s theme was Come Jam with Us: Music is Food for the Soul. Several of the guest performers are Rocky Alumni!  Read More

Did you know? 80% of learning during the first twelve years of a kid’s life is visual. That’s why these students at Jefferson Elementary were smiling extra big on Wednesday! Thanks to the generous support of #UnitedWayQC donors, our Vision to Learn initiative held another glasses party to give 115 students two pairs of glasses at no charge. That brings us to a whopping 283 QC students who have received 566 pairs of glasses since October! Now, these kids will no longer struggle to read the words in their books or the whiteboard at the front of the class. Instead, they’re focused... Read More

It’s competition time! Join us in wishing our talented DCSD Culinary Arts Students the best of luck today as they compete for the title of State Champion in Culinary Arts at the Iowa ProStart Invitational in Des Moines! 10 talented DCSD students are set to shine in three competition areas – Management, Cake Decorating, and Culinary. Good luck, we know you will represent our district with skill, creativity, and passion.  Read More

Did you know? 80% of learning during the first twelve years of a kid’s life is visual. That’s why these students at Jefferson Elementary were smiling extra big on Wednesday! Thanks to the generous support of #UnitedWayQC donors, our Vision to Learn initiative held another glasses party to give 115 students two pairs of glasses at no charge. That brings us to a whopping 283 QC students who have received 566 pairs of glasses since October! Now, these kids will no longer struggle to read the words in their books or the whiteboard at the front of the class. Instead, they’re focused... Read More

Two Rock Island teachers are being recognized by the Illinois State Board of Education for excelling in and out of the classroom! Mr. Mertel (RIHS) and Ms. Jett (EJHS) both received Those Who Excel Awards. Mr. Mertel received the Award of Meritorious Service. That award is given to educators who have shaped their school community for the better. These educators frequently employ their talents and passions but also strive to be of service in unfamiliar domains. They have taken on leadership opportunities and their accomplishments are known and valued by multiple populations: colleagues, students,... Read More

DAVENPORT, IOWA– New York Times bestselling author, educator and activist Erin Gruwell will be they keynote speaker at this year’s Women Fighting Hunger event, taking place on March 28. Gruwell began teaching in Long Beach, CA in the mid-90s, helping students “written off” by the system harness the power of education to graduate high school. Her dedication to her students resulted in the publication of The Freedom Writers Diary. The event, hosted at Rhythm City Casino Resort, Davenport, brings together women who are passionate about River Bend’s mission to work to build hunger-free... Read More

Davenport, IA (February 16, 2024) – The spring grant cycle deadline for nonprofit organizations in the greater Quad Cities region seeking funding from the Better Health Foundation (BHF) is open. Applicants have until Friday, March 1, 2024 to submit a completed online Letter of Inquiry (LOI) for consideration of an Innovation Grant. The Better Health Foundation Innovation grants are intended to help nonprofit organizations think differently and experiment with novel solutions to tackle our region's most challenging public health issues. Innovation at all stages of development will be considered... Read More