There’s something special about a room full of teachers getting ready for a new school year. Fresh ideas are flying, notebooks are open and someone is inevitably already thinking about what their students will be reading in September.
That was the energy we felt when Epic joined Fontana Unified School District’s annual Back-to-School Tech Symposium this summer.
Across six hands-on sessions, we connected with their elementary teachers to explore Epic School Plus, dig into tools they can use throughout the school year and most importantly, talk about how reading can keep going after students leave the classroom.
And we heard a phrase that never gets old: “We love Epic!”
From Epic fans to Epic School Plus classrooms
Many Fontana educators were already familiar with Epic and had used the free version with their students. Some told us they’d used books and videos to introduce a new science, math or social studies concept. Others had turned to Epic for student research projects or independent reading.
So these sessions weren’t really about starting from scratch. They were about asking: What else can we do?
Teachers got hands-on with Epic School Plus, exploring features designed to make it easier to plan instruction, support different kinds of readers and understand what students are reading.
There were plenty of “Oh, I can use that!” moments along the way.
ClassLink sync was a particular favorite, and educators were excited about being able to download content, access ready-to-use instructional resources, view student progress data and reporting and add start dates to assignments to make planning ahead a little easier.
By the end of the sessions, all participating teachers had successfully converted from Epic Free to Epic School Plus.
Not a bad way to kick off a new school year.
Making reading bigger than the school day
One of the most important conversations at the symposium wasn’t about a feature. It was about extending reading beyond the classroom.
Fontana USD wants to increase Epic School Plus usage this year, with a particular focus on reading at home. Teachers explored ways to keep kids’ curiosity going after the bell rings—whether that’s continuing a favorite book at home or diving deeper into a topic they discovered during class.
Educators also shared ideas for making reading fun, including incentives and Readerpillar-inspired class and school challenges.
Because the goal isn’t simply “more minutes.” It’s helping kids build the habit of choosing to read, wherever they are.
Good implementation starts with listening
Professional learning works best when it’s a conversation, not a product tour.
Teachers shared what worked in their classrooms, asked thoughtful questions and offered feedback on ways Epic School Plus could better support their day-to-day instruction—from assignment workflows and Read-to-Me quizzes to managing student content access.
And the enthusiasm was hard to miss. We heard comments like, “The kids love it!” and “I am so happy the district purchased Plus. I can’t wait to use it this year!”
A symposium is the beginning, not the finish line
A successful rollout doesn’t happen because teachers attend one training session in July. It happens when the partnership continues throughout the year.
For Fontana USD, that means building consistency across schools, supporting administrators, monitoring adoption and creating more opportunities for professional learning, family engagement and reading initiatives.
Every district’s goals look a little different. That’s why our work goes beyond providing the technology. We partner with educators to understand what they want to accomplish—and help turn those goals into reading experiences that work for their schools, teachers and students.
What could an Epic partnership look like in your district?
If your school or district is preparing to launch Epic School Plus—or you’re thinking about how to get more from it—professional learning can be a great place to start.
Epic can support your ongoing school-wide trainings through additional initiatives including:
- Join a back-to-school event to introduce Epic School Plus to teachers and staff.
- Add an Epic session to an existing professional development day.
- Host a live webinar to walk teachers through key features and answer questions.
- Share best practices for building independent reading routines.
- Help launch a school or district reading challenge, with prizes supplied by Epic
- Support parent-teacher conferences with guided instructions for at-home reading
However your district approaches professional learning, we’re here to meet educators where they are and help them feel confident bringing Epic into their classrooms.
Because when teachers have the tools, ideas and support to make reading part of the everyday routine, more kids get the chance to find books they love—and keep reading.
Frequently Asked Questions
▶ How can Epic School Plus support reading at school and at home?
Epic School Plus helps educators extend reading beyond the classroom by giving students access to engaging digital books and learning experiences wherever reading happens. Students enjoy unlimited, 24/7, year-round access to 40,000+ engaging books, audiobooks and learning videos—at school and at home. Teachers can use Epic during instruction and independent reading, then encourage students to continue exploring books and topics at home—helping create more consistency between school and family reading routines.
▶ How can schools use Epic beyond independent reading time?
Epic can fit into instruction throughout the school day. Educators can use books, videos and other content to introduce science or social studies topics, support research projects, reinforce skills and create assignments. With educator resources, student progress reporting and planning tools, Epic can become part of everyday instruction—not just free reading.
▶ How does Epic help districts successfully implement Epic School Plus?
Successful implementation is about more than providing access. With Epic, your dedicated Partner Success Manager works alongside your school and district leadership throughout the year to advance your reading goals and objectives. Schools can also explore family engagement strategies and reading initiatives that help build excitement and encourage long-term adoption. For more information on how to collaborate with Epic on hosting a training, reach out to epicschoolplus@getepic.com.
