Uniting and enhancing a region of innovation and equity where the learning community is EQUIPPED to meet the challenges of the future, ENGAGED in meaningful learning experiences, and EMPOWERED to create world-changing contributions.

Born from a 2018-19 PASmart Advancing Grant, The EPIC Network was created to bring together the wealth of expertise in Berks County school districts, best practices happening in the region, and to enhance the ecosystem of professional practice through resource availability, professional development, curricular access, embedded coaching and mentoring, and varied student learning experiences. EPIC and its foundational initiatives have now become an integral part of the Berks STEM Connection.

The Eastern Pennsylvania Innovation Catalyst (EPIC) Network was a project founded by the Berks County Intermediate Unit (BCIU) and the Kutztown Area School District (KASD) through their work as part of a PASmart Advancing Grant.

The EPIC Network was designed to be a hub of innovation in Berks County and Eastern Pennsylvania rooted in STEM and CS education for our county and beyond enhancing instructional practice, increasing opportunities, and developing a network of innovation. Part of the charter is to ensure equitable practices and innovation is connect to and within reach of rural and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations.

BCIU and KASD served as “satellite” sites for UPenn's Graduate School of Education’s Catalyst center, connecting to their Experiences in Applied Computational Thinking (EXACT) and CS/STEM master educators programs. These sites targeted regional inequities in computer science and STEM education through four areas:

  1. STEM Resource Libraries – regional equipment lending centers

  2. Catalyst Centers - for regional professional development located at the BCIU and Kutztown Area School District

  3. Ecosystem Empowerment - utilizing master teachers to coach emerging CS practitioners in the field and in their classrooms, and

  4. Camp_CS – providing experiences for all students to explore STEM/CS related career fields.

The initiative was designed to provide a direct impact on 67,424 students. Of those students, 51% of students are Economically Disadvantaged, 15% are identified as English Language Learners, 18% are receiving Special Education services, 49% of students are females, and 42% are identified as part of an underserved population.

EPIC Guiding Principles

Challenge:

  • Create community of regional schools/districts working to transform systems grounded in philosophies of deeper learning and learner-centered education.

  • Provide opportunities for collaboration, sharing and learning around various learner-centered models: Competency, personalization, maker, PBL, design thinking, etc.

  • Expand the practices and integration of computer science, computational thinking, and STEAM.

  • Develop an ecosystem of practice the brings together regional expertise to expand, unify, and provide equitable opportunities for all students and teachers.

Purpose:

  • Catalyze

  • Enable

  • Unite

  • Sustain

Mission:

  • Empowering people. Transforming education. Prospering futures.

Communities of Partnership:

      • K-12 School Districts

      • Intermediate Units

      • Universities

      • Companies and Industry

      • Start-ups

Vision:

  • Cultivating a connected community rooted in innovation and equity that is equipped to meet the challenges of the future, engaged in rigorous and meaningful learning experiences, and empowered to create world-changing contributions.

Values:

  • People: Growth over fixed. Invested learners.

  • Partnership: Collaboration over competition. Better together.

  • Policy: Equity over equality. Pervasive advocacy.

  • Progress: Tomorrow over today. Future ready.

EPIC Components

  1. STEM Resource Libraries – regional equipment lending centers,

  2. Catalyst Centers - for regional professional development located at the BCIU and Kutztown Area School District,

  3. Ecosystem Empowerment - utilizing master teachers to coach emerging CS practitioners in the field and in their classrooms, and

  4. Camp_CS – providing experiences for all students to explore STEM/CS related career fields.

Developing Partners

Thanks to the generous support of of regional panel of leaders and partners in this project, we are able to leverage the skills and talents of the community for the community.

Carl Blessing

Dr. Betty Chandy

Stacy Dunleavy

Donna DeLoretta

Dr. George Fiore

Dr. Christina Foehl

Dan Fogarty

Dr. Michael Golden

Dr. Jill Hackman

Dr. Scott Hand

Dr. Ryan Hassler

George Longridge

Dr. Susan Looney

Dan Richards

Dr. Hartono Tjoe

Charlie Trovato

Paul Zaharis

Innovation Cohorts

These communities of practice are designed around a process of "Development, Implementation, Development (DID)" enabling our cohorts work with groups and partners to catalyze actual change in their schools. Cohorts gather in professional development circles, are provided with supports, design an innovation, implement the innovation, reflect within the cohort, and develop others to expand the innovation.

Current Cohort Groups:

  • STEM & Computer Science

  • ED Tech Leadership

  • Design Thinking

  • Family Engagement

Camp_CS

Providing an engaging camp experience for all kids K-12 to immerse themselves in STEM related experiences, providing exposure to college and career pathways, and areas that might have been previously unattainable.

Unfortunately due to COVID, Camp_CS was unable to be held in the summer of 2020. We're hopeful for a camp opportunity in the future!

Ecosystem Empowerment (Professional Development)

Uniting and strengthening the wealth of regional expertise through resource availability, professional development, curricular access, embedded coaching and mentoring, and varied student learning experiences.

MASTER TEACHERS

Master educators will facilitate training sessions in CS and STEM and have the opportunity to participate in the Experiences in Applied Computational Thinking (EXACT) program from UPenn GSE. Master teachers will coach emerging CS practitioners in the field and in their classrooms, and classroom teachers receiving coaching will publish and share their lesson plans and reflections on PAIU OER Commons

TEACHER PRACTITIONERS

Developing teachers through formal professional development as well as on site coaching to integrate computational thinking and innovative practices into their daily instruction.

EPIC PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS

Professional development training sessions that are FREE for Berks County teachers. There is no charge for the session and the founding grant pays districts for the substitutes and reimburses teachers for their mileage.

Catalyst Satellite Networks

Professional development environments designed to gather diverse stakeholders to: build and enhance capacity within schools districts, provide simulated experiences, pilot novel approaches to instruction in a safe space, and collaboratively design rigorous CS principles and instruction.

Catalyst•Berks @ Berks County Intermediate Unit

Catalyst•Kutztown @ Kutztown Area School District

Catalyst@Penn @ UPenn

The reimagined Lincoln and Roosevelt Rooms at Berks County Intermediate Unit, Main Office