Dear Sultan School District Families and Caregivers,
Late Tuesday, PowerSchool notified our Information Technology (IT) Department that Sultan School District (SSD) was among PowerSchool’s many clients whose data may have been accessed during a cybersecurity incident. They became aware of the incident on December 28, 2024.
We are awaiting more information; however, we want to ensure our community is aware that this is an ongoing situation that is being investigated at this time.
WHAT HAPPENED?
According to PowerSchool, an unauthorized individual used compromised credentials to access their Student Information System (SIS). PowerSchool notified law enforcement, secured the system, and engaged a professional advisor. They report receiving assurances that all accessed data has been deleted and no copies remain.
WHAT DATA COULD HAVE BEEN ACCESSED?
According to PowerSchool, some staff and student personal identifiable information (PII) may have been compromised, including names, addresses, dates of birth, certain health and grade information, and parent/guardian details. Once we know exactly what Sultan data was affected, we will coordinate with PowerSchool to notify impacted individuals and take appropriate steps.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
PowerSchool has stated, “While we are unaware of and do not expect any actual or attempted misuse of personal information or any financial harm to impacted individuals as a result of this incident, PowerSchool will be providing credit monitoring to affected adults and identity protection services to affected minors in accordance with regulatory and contractual obligations.” While PowerSchool is responsible for this incident and its impact, out of an abundance of caution, SSD is monitoring the situation closely and will share updates that come from PowerSchool as soon as we know more.
IS IT SAFE TO CONTINUE USING MY POWERSCHOOL ACCOUNT?
Yes. PowerSchool states that the incident has been contained and there is no evidence of malware or ongoing unauthorized activity. Services are operating normally with no expected disruptions.
WHO CAN I CONTACT WITH QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS?
We anticipate PowerSchool will be providing impacted individuals with resources for additional information, which we will share at that time. We remain dedicated to safeguarding the data of our students, staff, and parents and will continue to provide transparent updates regarding this incident. Thank you for your patience and understanding in this sensitive matter.
Thank you,
Dan Chaplik, Superintendent
Dave Moon, Director of Technology