March 2, 2025
Saints Families -
You may have received (or will be receiving soon) an email communication from PowerSchool regarding the data breach we notified you of earlier. PowerSchool provided the District with a copy of the email they were planning to send on Friday, February 28 which I incorrectly assumed was to be sent out to individuals who had their social security number or other sensitive information compromised as part of this breach. Rather, it now appears as though they are sending this communication to ANYONE who has information in PowerSchool of ANY sort. I received the same email personally.
The purpose of this email is to let our families, students, and former students know that absolutely NOTHING has changed on our end. We are confident that we have identified individuals whose social security numbers were compromised and have taken steps to notify them previously. As we also communicated previously, directory data (address, phone number, etc.) for current students and former students was also likely released as part of this breach although that information is not as sensitive as social security numbers, as much of it is available in some form over the internet from a variety of sources. PowerSchool is choosing to notify everyone in this manner due to the sheer amount of individuals that were compromised across the country rather than taking a targeted approach of notifying individuals who only had sensitive information released.
That said, since PowerSchool is offering these services/ supports to anyone, you can feel free to sign up for additional peace of mind regardless of what sort of information may have been released for you or your child.
I apologize for not following up directly with PowerSchool on Friday to better understand who they intended to send this email to and I apologize for any undue concern or anxiety this may have caused.
Feel free to reach out to me with any questions you may have.
Sincerely,
Craig G. Broeren
Superintendent
715-482-9823 x1401
broercr@scfschools.com
January 29, 2025
Saints Families,
We are writing to update you regarding the recent cybersecurity incident involving PowerSchool, the software vendor that provides our Student Information System (SIS).
On January 29, 2025, PowerSchool initiated the process of notifying individuals whose information was determined to be involved.
As previously mentioned, PowerSchool has engaged Experian, a trusted credit reporting agency, to provide complimentary identity protection and credit monitoring services to current and former students and educators that had information exfiltrated from PowerSchool SIS. PowerSchool is doing this regardless of whether an individual’s Social Security Number was exfiltrated. In the coming weeks, Experian (on behalf of PowerSchool) will be distributing direct email notifications to involved individuals (or their parent/guardian, as applicable) for whom PowerSchool has sufficient contact information.
Additionally, PowerSchool has worked with Experian to set up a dedicated, toll-free call center to answer any questions associated with these offerings and the incident. All the information regarding the activation of and access to these services will be included in the email sent to you by Experian. Whether or not you receive an email, you may also visit PowerSchool’s website to learn how to activate the offering from Experian, linked here: http://www.powerschool.com/security/sis-incident/notice-of-united-states-data-breach/
Protecting our students and teachers remains our top priority. Thank you again for all of your support and understanding during this time.
Sincerely,
Craig G. Broeren
Superintendent
January 21, 2025
Saints Families,
As we previously communicated, PowerSchool – a cloud-based software vendor used by St. Croix Falls School District – recently experienced a cybersecurity incident involving unauthorized access to certain information in the PowerSchool Student Information System (SIS). We are reaching out to share more information and next steps that we recently received directly from PowerSchool:
Identity Protection and Credit Monitoring Services:
PowerSchool has engaged Experian, a trusted credit reporting agency, to offer two years of complimentary identity protection services for all students and educators whose information from our PowerSchool SIS was involved. This offer will also include two years of complimentary credit monitoring services for all adult students and educators whose information was involved.
Notification to Individuals Involved:
Starting in the next few weeks, in collaboration with Experian, PowerSchool will provide notice to students (or their parents / guardians if the student is under 18) and educators whose information was involved, as well as a phone number to answer any questions you may have about the incident. The notice will include the identity protection and credit monitoring services offer (as applicable).
As soon as PowerSchool learned of the incident, they engaged cybersecurity response protocols and mobilized senior leadership and third-party cybersecurity experts to conduct a forensic investigation of the scope of the incident and to monitor for signs of information misuse. PowerSchool is not aware of any identity theft attributable to this incident.
In the meantime, I encourage you to visit https://www.powerschool.com/security/sis-incident/ for up-to-date information on the cybersecurity incident.
If there are any further developments shared with the District, I will pass that information along as soon as we are made aware. Thank you for your continued support.
Sincerely,
Craig G. Broeren
Superintendent
