Updated 5/8/2025
PowerSchool provided us with a statement to send out to parents and students of Southern Valley Schools:
Dear families and educators of the Southern Valley Schools community:
We are writing to inform you of a recent development related to the cybersecurity incident PowerSchool experienced in December 2024.
PowerSchool is aware that a threat actor has reached out to multiple school district customers in an attempt to extort them using data from the previously reported December 2024 incident. PowerSchool does not believe this is a new incident.
Please be assured that both PowerSchool and Southern Valley Schools are taking this situation very seriously. PowerSchool has informed us they are working with cybersecurity experts to thoroughly assess this development and have reported it to law enforcement in both Canada and the United States.
As a reminder, following that incident PowerSchool also offered and made widely available credit monitoring and identity protection services for a period of two years to students and faculty of Southern Valley Schools regardless of whether they were individually involved. We encourage all those who were offered these services to take advantage of them:
For individuals in the U.S.: https://www.powerschool.com/security/sis-incident/notice-of-united-states-data-breach/
For individuals in Canada: https://www.powerschool.com/security/sis-incident/notice-of-canada-data-breach/
As was reported earlier this year, PowerSchool made the decision to pay a ransom because they believed it to be in the best interest of their customers and the students and communities they serve. As is always the case with these situations, there was a risk that the bad actors would not delete the data they stole, despite assurances and evidence that were provided PowerSchool.
We wanted to share this update as part of our ongoing commitment to transparency. We remain committed to working closely with PowerSchool and law enforcement to provide support in any way we can.
Sincerely,
Southern Valley Schools
PowerSchool Data Breach - December 2024
PowerSchool is offering 2 years of Identify monitoring through Experian, register before July 31, 2025. All Southern Valley School Parents, Students, and Educators are eligible. All former students and graduated students are eligible. Follow the link above for more info about the data breach and the instructions to create your Experian account and sign up for Identity monitoring.
After signing up you may find out your info is already on the Internet from previous company data breaches. Freezing your credit at each of the three credit bureaus, and placing an 'initial fraud alert' on your social security number with any one of the bureaus may be helpful. Use the links below to find more recommendations to protecting your identity.
PowerSchool Incident: A few resources for teachers, parents, and former students
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau - How do I check to see if a child has a credit report?
Experian - Child Identity Theft Protection
Updated 1/29/2025: Added new PowerSchool website with Experian IdentityWorks Sign Up
Dear Southern Valley Schools Family –
We are writing to update you regarding the recent cybersecurity incident involving PowerSchool, the software vendor that provides our Student Information System (SIS).
Today, 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,
Southern Valley Schools
Please refer to PowerSchool's General FAQ link for more info and previous communications - https://sveagles.info/powerschoolfaq