ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras will be out for six weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee. Zegras had surgery Thursday, the team announced. Zegras was injured last week on a fairly innocent-looking play during the Ducks' 4-1 loss to Vegas in Anaheim. Zegras and William Karlsson only briefly got their skates and stick blades entangled, but Zegras needed help to get off the ice after taking a fall. Zegras' torn meniscus is his third major injury in just over a year, although a torn meniscus is likely a fortunate outcome for a knee injury that could have been much worse. He was limited to 31 games last season by two injury setbacks, including a broken ankle that required surgery. Zegras has four goals and six assists in 24 games this season for Anaheim, which had lost four straight heading into its road game against Toronto on Thursday night. The Ducks surprisingly activated forward Robby Fabbri from injured reserve before they faced the Maple Leafs. Fabbri had arthroscopic knee surgery on Nov. 15 and is progressing much faster than his initial predicted timeline of six to eight weeks. AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL
Nearly 38,000 first grade students in Iowa will receive literacy instruction books to take home and keep as part of a $3.5 million state investment to boost early literacy. Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Education announced the statewide investment Monday to provide elementary schools in the state more than 100,000 “decodable book packs” to send home with students to reinforce classroom reading instruction. In total, 1 million books will be sent to all public and accredited non-public schools across the state this winter, according to the Iowa Department of Education. Schools and families need not apply; books will be sent directly to them, according to a press release. Reynolds, in a statement, said the book packs build upon legislation she signed into law earlier this year adding new supports and requirements for early readers and teachers. Under the new law, young students falling behind on reading skills will receive extra attention. Their parents will have the option for them to repeat a grade, and Iowa college students learning to become elementary school teachers will be assessed on their ability to teach young students how to read. Studies repeatedly have shown the importance of young students being proficient readers by third grade, and drawn correlations between positive academic and social outcomes for proficient young readers and negative outcomes for struggling readers. “These book packs, based on the Science of Reading, bring parents more fully into that process by giving them a fun way to reinforce at home what their children are learning at school,” Reynolds said. “It’s a powerful way to teach our kids to read — so they can spend a lifetime reading to learn.” The books are written for beginning readers and use simple words to help students connect letters and sounds, according to the Iowa Department of Education. The department selected Just Right Reader through a competitive bid process to provide the books at no cost to Iowa elementary schools and families. The book packs are customizable and available at multiple reading levels. Each includes a QR code with access to video lessons, according to the department. Kindergarten through second grade students in need of support who attended a summer reading program or before- and after-school program this year also will receive books to further advance their reading gains, according to the press release. The books will be paid for by federal pandemic relief assistance funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. More information on literacy instruction in Iowa is available on the Department’s literacy instruction website.