Dear Parents/Guardians,
We are writing to inform you about a recent cybersecurity incident involving PowerSchool, the education technology provider our district uses to manage student records. This incident impacted K-12 school districts nationwide, including ours.
On December 28, 2024, PowerSchool discovered that an unauthorized individual used a compromised password to access their PowerSource customer support portal. This access allowed limited entry to their customers’ Student Information Systems (SIS), which contained some staff and student data. We were informed on the afternoon of January 7, 2025.
PowerSchool has taken immediate and decisive action to address this situation and minimize any potential risks:
- Incident Contained: PowerSchool has assured us that the issue is now fully contained and that the accessed data is not expected to be shared or made public.
- Cybersecurity Experts Engaged: They have partnered with cybersecurity professionals to strengthen their systems and prevent further unauthorized access.
- Law Enforcement Notified: PowerSchool has reported the incident to law enforcement authorities to aid in their investigation.
PowerSchool is also preparing resources to help families better understand the incident, including FAQs and webinars hosted by their cybersecurity experts. We will share these resources with you as soon as they are available.
We understand that this news may be concerning, and we want to assure you that our district is working closely with PowerSchool to obtain all the details about this breach. We are committed to ensuring the continued protection of our students’ information and to keeping you informed every step of the way.
As we receive additional updates from PowerSchool, we will share them with you promptly. If you have immediate concerns or questions, please feel free to reach out to Mr. John Amberg, Executive Director of Technology, 973-399-6800 ext.- 1910.
Thank you for your understanding and continued support as we work to address this situation and safeguard our district’s data.
Respectfully submitted,