From Thomas Hobbs, Director of Technology:
We are writing to inform you about a nationwide data breach involving the Student Information System used by our district, PowerSchool. This cyberattack occurred at the vendor level and involved unauthorized access to certain student and staff data via a compromised credential in their PowerSource portal.
Please know that this breach did not result from any action or mishandling by Tipp City Schools, and our systems were not compromised.
PowerSchool became aware of the breach on December 28, 2024, and determined the scope in the following days. The vendor notified the district of the security incident that affected their systems on January 7th.
This breach exposed certain data stored within their system. The exposed information may include names, addresses, student ID numbers, other personally identifiable information (PII), and medical information. No financial information, bank account numbers, or social security numbers were involved as they are not stored in PowerSchool.
We are taking all appropriate measures to understand the full extent of the breach and mitigate any potential risks to our families. At this time, we have not received any indication of misuse of the data.
Tipp City Schools is in direct communication with PowerSchool to monitor their response and ensure they are addressing the issue thoroughly. PowerSchool involved the FBI, Cybersecurity experts, and a remediation team. The company allegedly paid a ransom demand in return for video evidence that all compromised files were deleted and digitally shredded.
PowerSchool has deactivated the compromised credentials, implemented stricter password policies, and tightened access control. They have reasonable assurance that the breached data has been deleted and not replicated or disseminated. The company is also conducting an investigation with CrowdStrike, a leading cybersecurity company, and expects to have a report available on January 17th.
PowerSchool will provide formal notifications to impacted individuals if required. The district will remain in close communication with PowerSchool and provide updates as more information becomes available.
We understand this news may cause concern. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact me, Thomas Hobbs, Director of Technology, at thobbs@tippcity.k12.oh.us or 937-669-6384.