SPRINGFIELD, Mass.- Springfield Public Schools will close all schools Tuesday, September 8, after a cyber incident disrupted some systems needed for essential school operations.
The district, which describes itself as the second-largest public school district in Massachusetts and says it serves more than 27,000 students, announced the closure Monday. Superintendent Dr. Sonia Dinnall said the closure will allow district officials to continue addressing the issue.
The exact scope and size of the breach remain under investigation.
All Springfield Public Schools staff have been directed to stay off district network systems until further information is known. Students with district-issued laptops have also been instructed to do the same.
“We understand that an unexpected closure creates significant challenges and we appreciate the patience, flexibility and understanding of the entire Springfield Public Schools community as we work to address this incident and restore systems,” Dinnall said.
Dinnall said the decision to close schools was made with the health and safety of people inside school buildings as the primary consideration.
“The decision to close schools is not made lightly,” Dinnall said. “The most important consideration will always be the health and safety of those inside our school buildings. We simply are not willing to risk any lapse in that.”
The closure will also give administrators time to organize backup plans for non-essential technology tools, including attendance reporting, that may remain available while the incident is addressed.
The closure applies to schools, while the district’s Central Office will remain open. Some Central Office services, including phone lines, may be affected.
After-school activities have also been canceled Tuesday.
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