The Berks County Intermediate Unit has secured a $95,000 grant for the full roll out of its CrisisGo emergency response system in county school districts through 2022, BCIU officials reported Thursday.

The digital planning and communications platform allows school staff, police and first responders to instantly view and share emergency plans, evacuation maps, student rosters and other vital information in crisis situations.

CrisisGo was initially funded via a $100,000 grant secured in 2017 by state Sen. Judy Schwank, a Ruscombmanor Township Democrat. Schwank’s advocacy was again critical in gaining the second round of funding, said Dr. Jill Hackman, BCIU executive director.

The app, now in its second year of implementation, has been adopted by all 18 county districts across 108 school facilities, said Scott Major, BCIU director of information technology.

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In the world of higher education you will find few buildings less remarkable than the Delaware County Technical High School in Broomall, Pennsylvania.

Surrounded by a Rockwellian collage of trimmed lawns and picket fences, the single-story complex sits on a winding suburban lane just west of Philadelphia. It features no markers of prestige — just an ivy-less, brick facade and a drop-off lane for cars and busses.

But inside — along a single hallway — there is a little-known program that ranks with the biggest names in higher education, and, in some cases, outperforms them. By one measure, it’s among the best deals in higher-ed right now — a mighty engine of value in an era where college debt is at the forefront of national politics and overburdened families question the worth of a degree.

For the roughly 100 students who pass through this program every year, it can be a quick ticket to the middle class.

And it may also be a glimpse into the future of higher education.

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NORWEGIAN TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- There were plenty of smiles Monday at Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29 near Minersville.

Variety The Children's Charity presented students with disabilities in this part of Schuylkill County with equipment that's tailored to their specific needs. That equipment includes 23 adaptive bikes, three adaptive strollers, and 30 communication devices with technology to help enhance communication for these children.

The charity footed the bill of more than $80,000 for the equipment.

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At the Association of Educational Service Agencies (AESA) Conference held recently in Phoenix, Arizona, a number of education leaders from Pennsylvania IUs conducted the following presentations for the national audience: 

A Lesson in Social Entrepreneurship: Creating A National SEL Center(Central Susquehanna IU #16: Lynn Cromley, Assistant Executive Director/Chief Administrative Officer & Shileste Overton Morris, Learning Director, Center for the Promotion of Social/Emotional Learning)

Administrative Process: How to Set-up a School-Based Feeding and Swallowing Program (Lancaster-Lebanon IU #13: Ann Spinner, Supervisor of the School-Age Speech and Language Program)

Advocating for School Safety - More Than Guards and Lockdown Drills (Montgomery County IU #23: Valentina Viletto, Director of Community and Government Relations & Sandra Edling, CFO/ Director of Business Services)

CAMhP: Intensive Therapeutic Services within an Educational Setting (Capital Area IU #15: Keith Watson, Student Services Program Supervisor & Kerry Fitch, Educational Coach)

Collaboration Across States: How Educational Service Agencies have Partnered to Bring Personalized Learning to ALL Learners (Montgomery County IU #23: Dr. Brad Landis, Assistant Executive Director & Dr. Donna Gaffney, Director, Office of Professional Learning; Dr. Kristen Landis, Director of Technology, Northern Penn School District & Brenda Vogds, Director of Instruction for Personalized Learning, CESA 1, Pewaukee, WI) 

E-Colors: Unlocking Emotional Intelligence in Your School(Intermediate Unit #1: Don Martin, Executive Director, Joseph Mahoney, Director of Behavioral/Mental Health & Social Work Services & Jenny Lent, Director of Curriculum & Instruction)

Employment for Youth with Disabilities: Partnerships that Work (Lancaster-Lebanon IU #13: Gina Guatta, Supervisor of Special Education; Jen Bennett, Manager of Job Training Services & Sherri Williams, Supervisor of Special Education)

Expanding Services Beyond Traditional Education Supports (Lancaster-Lebanon IU #13: Carolyn Bruey, Program Supervisor)

From Data to Decisions (group panel included Jeff Rothenberger, Consultant, MCIU #23)

Personalized Learning is NOT a Program (Lancaster-Lebanon IU #13: Joey Rider-Bertrand, Program Director for Teaching & Learning; Colette Cairns, Supervisor for Instructional Technology; Kelly Galbraith, Supervisor for Literacy & Lauren Beal, Supervisor for STEM)

STEP UP Westmoreland (Westmoreland IU #7: Jason Conway, Executive Director; Timothy Hammill, Curriculum Services Director & Dr. Matthew Thomas, Student Services Director)

Westmoreland County Committee on Legislative Action (Westmoreland IU #7: Jason Conway, Executive Director)

ASTON, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- Officials cut the ribbon on a new school building for the Delaware County Intermediate Unit in Aston, Delaware County on Wednesday.

Administrators, board members, staff and students came out to celebrate the realization of a plan seven years in the making.

"The Board and administrators embarked upon the mission to build a new facility that would allow us to not only provide cutting-edge programs to prepare students for a 21st century job market, but also to provide the best services possible in the best environment possible," stated Dr. Maria Edelberg, Executive Director.

The plan was to enhance and expand the original building to include improved security systems, improvement and expansion of meeting facilities, and technology, and building upgrades to allow for state-of-the-art educational programming.

The Aston campus now houses an Early Childhood Education program, Career and Technical School, as well as school-age student services.

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Coatesville Area school board has turned its four prekindergarten classes at the Gordon Early Learning Center over to the Chester County Intermediate Unit — a move which will save the school district over $1 million.

During the board's Sept. 10 meeting, Interim Superintendent Richard Dunlap Jr. called the move both an opportunity and a tough decision as the school board accepted leadership from CCIU.

Dunlap said both Coatesville and CCIU had applied for the same expansion grant funding through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, but funds were awarded to CCIU, which operates nine Head Start centers in Chester County.The preschool program costs the district $744,990 annually.

Coatesville’s four prekindergarten teachers will this month train staff hired by Jacalyn Auris, director of student services for CCIU, to help ensure a successful transition for students. The four will then move to new assignments on Sept. 23, Dunlap said.

Auris told the school board her staff will work to make the preschool program a Coatesville program, not a CCIU program, by bringing building principals to Gordon to meet with students and their families. Staff will also make quarterly home visits and host frequent social events at Gordon to connect students to the Coatesville district — in hopes of encouraging families to remain in the district instead of moving on to charter or private schools after preschool.

While one resident lauded the move, two preschool teachers voiced sadness about the sudden change. Resident Beth Brindle reminded the board the community has been asking for transparency and called the change “a big decision that needed more consideration and time.”

The board approved CCIU’s offer by a 7-2 vote, with James Hills and Tom Siedenbuehl casting no votes. Earlier this year residents spoke in favor of the district managing its own special education programs. In June, the board added five special education supervisors to the 2019-20 budget.

Auris said the grant will cover the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years, and she has a high level of confidence funding will continue beyond the next two years.

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Original Story Via Pennlive ...

Through an iPad on wheels that she remote-controlled from home, Ashlyn Brysiak rolled into third grade each day.

Brysiak, now an 11-year-old student from East Pennsboro School District, ran into an educational roadblock when she learned she had leukemia that would prevent her from going to school. But now, with technology backed by state grants, she was able to participate in class discussion, group projects and other social pieces of education.

“What she was missing without school was the social piece,” said Brysiak’s former teacher, Dawn Kepler. “Depression can be prevalent when students are out for so long.”

Now, more students who need to take extended absences will be able to appear in class virtually with the Keystone Telepresence Education Grant Program. The state law, just passed in June, will provide $300,000 in grants to Pennsylvania’s intermediate units, which serve as government liaisons for schools.

Sen. Scott Martin, R-Lancaster, introduced the bill and said he was inspired to create this legislation after spending time with pediatric cancer patients and their families. Although he’s never used a device like this (which he says look like iPads on top of Segways), Martin said he’s seen the impact it can have on students who wouldn’t otherwise be able to go to school.

“We want to keep kids on track not only with their education but with that social piece. They shouldn’t be isolated as they go through treatment or recovery,” he said. “This is a gap we needed to fill.”

The person controlling the robot can do it entirely independently - all the robot needs to work is an internet connection and a login to its online control center. The controller uses their keyboard to move it around and can see a wide view of what’s in front of the robot at eye level and on the ground.

Martin said about 7,000 Pennsylvania students could benefit from these grants every year. The robots can be used for students with long-term illnesses as well as shorter term ones, like badly broken bones.

Currently, the Capital Area Intermediate Unit owns six telepresence robots, all of which have been used by students in its schools, including private and charter schools in the region. But, each device can cost more than $3,000 - a heavy amount for families already handling hospital bills and other costs to pay.

Kepler said the grant program is important because it “levels the playing field” and allows all students to take advantage of this technology, regardless of how much money their district has.

The CAIU will apply for grants to purchase more updated robots. The six it owns right now were received as part of a pilot program from the telepresence brands Double and Kubi in 2015.

Kepler said although she ran into some technical issues with the pilot robot when Brysiak used it in 2016, the CAIU was well-prepared with quick fixes that only minimally disrupted class.

Martin added that the alternative is finding and hiring teachers certified to teach homebound students, which is a process that is both more expensive to do and less beneficial for students who would continue to miss out on opportunities to socialize.

Kepler worked with Brysiak at home as well as through the robot in class. Kepler said by sending home materials used in class with Brysiak, she was able to participate in experiments, art projects and hands-on learning so she wouldn’t feel ostracized.

Kepler also allowed students who physically attended class to drop off homework and other papers at Brysiak’s home in order to give her more one-on-one contact with the other kids in her class.

“Ashlyn was surrounded by a class that absolutely adored her,” Kepler said. “It brought some peace of mind to those students too, because they knew she was capable of learning and gave them reassurance that she was okay.”

YORK, Pa. (WHTM) – This year’s state budget includes more funding to help students at home or in the hospital with serious illnesses or injuries.

Telepresence technology allows kids to be in the classroom virtually.

“I thought … well, where am I going to be in the next six months,” said Zachary Shiffer, who lives in York. “Am I still going to be in school?”

Zachary Shiffer says he still thinks about second grade every day.

“In January of 2016, he was diagnosed with AML, which is acute myeloid leukemia,” said Erin Shiffer, Zachary’s mom.

He didn’t let that hold him back from excelling in academics and bonding with friends.

“We had a laptop in the hospital room that he was able to remotely control the robot with,” said Jason Shiffer, Zachary’s dad. “The robot could basically do anything that a regular kid could do.”

The Central York student was one of the first in the area to try telepresence technology.

“I thought it was pretty neat,” said Zachary Shiffer. “I was still able to do work there and do science projects and do a math quiz.”

State Sen. Scott Martin says thousands of kids in the hospital or who are homebound are in need of this tool.

“It’s very tough and can be costly to school districts as well to find content-certified teachers to be able to go to somebody’s home,” Martin said.

That’s why Martin pushed for $300,000 of funding for schools to purchase equipment.

Senate Bill 144 got signed into law this week.

“I think it’s a win win for everybody,” said Martin.

“I was still able to communicate with my friends and just like I never left,” said Zachary Shiffer.

Zachary Shiffer said learning through the robot made resuming school a piece of cake.

Next Sunday marks three years in remission.

“Thankful for every day,” Erin Shiffer said .

“I’m just really glad that people are still trying to overcome their cancer or whatever they have and at the same time still being able to interact with school,” said Zachary Shiffer.

That law goes into effect in about two months.

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Students take classes through Intermediate Unit 13 at Bright Side Opportunities Center, with support from literacy council

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16-year-old Atiya Jackson and 15-year-old Desoray Madera trade the classroom for work one day a week.

"We are doing packets. We always do these for new patients," Jackson said while showing us their work.

The pair are part of the recently created "possibilities program."

15 special needs students from Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 volunteer at St. Luke's Anderson campus one day a week.

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