October 31, 2025/
Building Blocks of Literacy: First Graders Master Reading and Writing
In Mrs. Davis’s first-grade classroom, students are busy building the foundational skills for a lifetime of learning. The young readers and writers have been focused on mastering phonics, specifically highlighting and sounding out words with the “-ck” sound. Working with partners, they practice reading aloud, building both confidence and fluency. The students are also channeling their creativity into a writing project about “Our Wonderful Town.” They began by brainstorming, drawing, and labeling their ideas, and are now transforming those concepts into written stories, taking their first exciting steps as authors.



Latest News Stories
Democratic candidates focus on national politics in campaign for U.S. Senate
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois’ Democratic Party candidates for U.S. Senate have focused their campaigns on opposition to Republicans and President...
Arizona Chamber praises new interstate natural gas pipeline
By Chris WoodwardThe Center Square The Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry is excited about the future, thanks to a deal between state utilities and Transwestern Pipeline Co. The company...
Dems oppose Trump’s bid to end mail-in ballots, voting machines
By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square Casting a ballot may look different for millions of American voters in the 2026 midterm elections if Republican-led states follow President Donald Trump’s wish to...
Trump says court’s tariff decision could lead to ‘catastrophic’ collapse
By Brett RowlandThe Center Square Attorneys for President Donald Trump told judges that if they yank the president's tariff authority, "catastrophic consequences" would ensue, including a deep economic collapse not...
After two weeks fleeing Texas, House Democrats return, quorum reached
By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square After two weeks fleeing the state, many Texas House Democrats returned, and a quorum was reached on Monday. More than two dozen Democrats still didn’t...
Trump: Zelenskyy could end Russia-Ukraine war ‘if he wants to’
By Caroline BodaThe Center Square Ahead of the summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European leaders in Washington on Monday, President Donald Trump said Ukraine should give up...
$750 million facility to protect Texas cattle, wildlife from screwworm threat
By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square Responding to calls by state lawmakers and the agricultural industry for immediate action to be taken to protect cattle and wildlife from a parasitic fly,...
Chicago posts fewest homicides since 2016, arrests rate also declines
By Glenn Minnis | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois state Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago, studies Chicago’s somewhat mixed-bag crime trend data with little question...
Three years later, Inflation Reduction Act blamed for higher Medicare costs
By Tom JoyceThe Center Square This past weekend marked the third anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law by former President Joe Biden in 2022. While the law...
Illinois quick hits: Prosecutors charge two more in Tren de Aragua case; Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee meets today; Illinois Little League team loses in World Series
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square Prosecutors charge two more in Tren de Aragua case State prosecutors have charged two more migrants as part of an investigation...
Report: Human Rights Campaign pressures transgender procedures on minors
By Tate MillerThe Center Square (By Tate Miller) – The Human Rights Campaign pressures children’s hospitals into performing transgender procedures on minors, according to a Do No Harm report. Do...
Everyday Economics: Housing market and Fed policy in focus in the week ahead
By Orphe DivounguyThe Center Square This week brings crucial updates on America's housing market struggles and hints about where interest rates might head next. Housing Data Dump Several major housing...
Businesses brace for new tax challenges amid global tariff focus
By Brett RowlandThe Center Square U.S. businesses and their partners across the globe are looking to make sure they comply with the highest import duties in decades amid a worldwide...