January 8, 2025
Dear WPS Community,
Wahpeton Public School District has been made aware of a nationwide breach involving PowerSchool’s support portal and it has impacted some student and teacher data. We believe our school’s data was not impacted.
Out of an abundance of caution, access to PowerSchool has been temporarily locked down as of 12:30 PM today for any user who is not connected to the state network, StageNet. This means that access from outside the school network will be unavailable after this time. North Dakota Information Technology (NDIT) is working with PowerSchool and school districts to evaluate the scope of the incident.
We want to provide you with the details of this incident and what steps are being taken to ensure the security of your information.
What Happened:
• On December 28, 2024, PowerSchool discovered unauthorized access to certain data in one of their customer support portals (PowerSource).
• PowerSchool identified that only specific users whose information was marked in certain system configurations may have been affected.
• On January 7, 2025, Wahpeton School was notified by PowerSchool of the potential cybersecurity threat and that their forensic investigation determined that our school’s data was not impacted. Note, their analysis is ongoing and they will notify Wahpeton School if their findings change.
• On January 8, 2025, Wahpeton Public School received additional information from NDIT.
What’s Being Done:
• PowerSchool has activated its cybersecurity response protocols and brought in third-party cybersecurity experts.
• Access to the affected portal has been secured.
• PowerSchool has confirmed there is no evidence of malware or ongoing unauthorized activity.
Next Steps for Parents/Guardians:
• Change your PowerSchool password as a precaution. Create a strong password that you do not use for other accounts.
• Monitor communications from Wahpeton School for updates as additional information becomes available.
Key Points to Know:
• PowerSchool continues to investigate and will provide updates if any new findings emerge.
• NDIT is collaborating with PowerSchool and districts to assess the scope of the incident and provide assistance.
We understand that cybersecurity concerns can be unsettling, but rest assured, every effort is being made to safeguard your information. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Wahpeton Public School directly or consult the PowerSchool-provided FAQs (https://help.powerschool.com/t5/Support/ct-p/Contact-Support).
Thank you for your understanding and partnership as we address this situation.
Sincerely,
Michael J. Kaiser, Superintendent
Wahpeton Public School District