All schools within the Highline Public Schools district will be closed on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, due to unauthorized activity detected on the district’s technology systems, the district announced on Sunday, Sept. 8.

This shutdown includes all school-related activities, athletics, and meetings, such as the scheduled vaccine clinic.

The district’s central offices will remain open, and school and office administrators are expected to report to work.

“We understand this comes as an unexpected disruption, particularly on the eve of the first day of kindergarten for many of our families,” the district said in a statement. “We recognize the burden this decision places on both families and staff, but student safety is our top priority, and we cannot have school without these critical systems in place.”

This incident follows a recent cyberattack on the Port of Seattle. As we previously reported, on Aug. 24, 2024, the Port was the victim of a cyberattack on its computer systems which disrupted essential services at Sea-Tac Airport.

The district is collaborating with third-party, state, and federal partners to address the situation.

Families will be updated by 2:00 p.m. Monday regarding potential further closures.

The district expressed regret over the disruption, especially as it impacts many students on the eve of their first day of kindergarten. However, they emphasized that the safety and security of students remain their top priority, and these systems are essential to the schools’ operation.

For staff inquiries, the district provided guidance on expectations during the closure and clarified that further updates would be forthcoming as the investigation continues. Here is a link to staff expectations during a school closure. Please refer to this information if you receive any questions. 

These technology incidents highlight an increasing trend in cyberattacks affecting public systems and services, emphasizing the need for robust cybersecurity measures in local and state governments.

“Thank you for your patience and understanding.”

Here’s full text of the notification:

 

“All Schools Closed Monday, September 9 

“SEP 8 2024

“All schools are closed on Monday, September 9. All school activities, athletics and meetings are canceled, including the vaccine clinic. Central office is open. 

“We have detected unauthorized activity on our technology systems and have taken immediate action to isolate critical systems. We are working closely with third-party, state and federal partners to safely restore and test our systems.  

“We understand this comes as an unexpected disruption, particularly on the eve of the first day of kindergarten for many of our families. We recognize the burden this decision places on both families and staff, but student safety is our top priority, and we cannot have school without these critical systems in place. 

“Here is a link to staff expectations during a school closure. Please refer to this information if you receive any questions. 

“School and central office administrators are expected to report to work. Central office administrators may be deployed to schools if needed. 

“The investigation is ongoing. We will notify staff and families by 2:00 p.m. on Monday if this disruption impacts schools on Tuesday. 

“Thank you for your patience and understanding.”