Dear Needham Public School Families:
As a follow up to my
January 8, 2025 email in which I described a data breach involving the district's student information system, PowerSchool, I want to share updated information.
• The two dozen former staff and former students who may have had their social security numbers compromised have been contacted and offered credit monitoring services by PowerSchool if eligible. (We have not collected social security information for staff or students for over 15 years; no current staff or students have social security numbers in the PowerSchool database.)
• A Needham Public Schools analysis of the fields that were exported by the perpetrator included: Names, addresses, and home phone numbers of students, parents, and some other contacts; grade level; date of birth; ethnicity; year of graduation; medical alerts including allergies and medical conditions; and whether a student qualifies for free or reduced lunch.
• As required by law we have notified the MA Attorney General's Office and the MA Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation of the cybersecurity incident.
• PowerSchool has created a
Frequently Asked Questions page on their website to offer updated information, and I encourage you to read it to learn more.
Should you have further questions, please let me know.
Respectfully,