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The Goedert Center will cease operations on June 14, 2024 and is no longer accepting applications. Beginning in summer 2024, St. Giles School will be welcoming interested Goedert Center preschool families to join their community. Please contact St. Giles School or complete their inquiry form to learn more. We remain focused on continuing to support the Center until its closure next June.


The Rose K. Goedert Center for Early Childhood Education has been providing high-quality education and care for almost fifty years. Housed on Dominican University’s Priory Campus, the center welcomes two to five-year-old children of Dominican students, faculty and staff, as well as children from neighboring communities. The center provides a safe, secure, play and learning environment that fosters healthy social, emotional, and intellectual growth. In keeping with Dominican University’s philosophy and practice, the Center’s mission comprises the following key elements:

  • To provide high quality preschool in a safe, healthy, and stimulating social and intellectual environment.
  • To provide high quality specialized educational programs for children.
  • To support cultural diversity in the Center population through inclusive programming.
  • To be responsive to the needs of the broader community of families with young children, through special activities, programs and site development.
  • To provide University students opportunities to study child development and current early learning pedagogy. University students are given the opportunity to observe, interact in meaningful and supportive ways, as well as teach lessons. 

The Center is staffed by certified early childhood educators who are committed to preparing children in the Dominican tradition of educational excellence, ensuring a seamless transition to kindergarten. Children at the Center also benefit from classes supported by the University’s Early Childhood Education Department and related education degree programs, as well as students majoring in areas such as nutrition, psychology and Spanish.

Accreditation and Affiliations

The Goedert Center is:

  • Licensed by the Department of Children and Family Services
  • Accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the nation's leading organization of early childhood professionals
  • Designated with the Gold Circle of Quality by ExceleRate Illinois, the state's quality rating and improvement system for early learning and development providers
  • A member of the International Association of Laboratory Schools
  • A member of the National Coalition for Campus Children’s Centers
  • A member of the Collaboration for Early Childhood
The Rose K. Goedert Center for Early Childhood Education offers:
  • A safe, diverse environment that fosters socialization
  • A rich learning experience that enhances development through the exploration of science, social studies, and math concepts, stimulating creativity and critical thinking
  • Year-round, all-day programs
  • Nutritionally sound lunches and snacks
  • A state-of-the-art facility with areas for studying the natural world and engaging in indoor and outdoor play

The Center offers several plans to meet your needs. Options include:

  • Three days a week or five days a week
  • Full day (five or more hours) or partial day (less than five hours)

A schedule of fees can be found on the link at the bottom of the page. 

The school is open from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Children must be registered for one of the established plans and must be able to start the program no later than 9:00 a.m. to ensure continuity.

For more information, please contact:

Sarah Thomas, MSECE
Director
(708) 714-9150 office
(708) 714-9151 fax

Policies and Handbooks

“Attending the Goedert Center has been a great experience for both of our kids. As parents, we know that our kids are safe, loved and prepared for elementary school, both academically and socially.”
–Nikki and Steve Mead