A cybersecurity incident disrupted internet, email and student technology at Slate Valley Unified Union School District in Vermont, while schools stayed open.
Superintendent Brooke Olsen-Farrell said the district received a ransom or extortion demand. The school board voted Sept. 28 to decline payment, according to the district’s Sept. 29 statement.
The disruption began Sept. 3, when the district reported a cybersecurity issue affecting its technology systems. Internet and district email were unavailable, but school phones worked, so families were directed to call schools instead of emailing.
In a follow-up notice, Olsen-Farrell described a network outage that prevented access to some systems. She said the district immediately took steps to secure its network and brought in outside specialists to work with its IT staff.
Internet service and staff email began returning by Sept. 10, though email could still be inconsistent. Student Chromebook access had not been restored, and the district said its systems were not fully operational.
Slate Valley serves Benson, Castleton, Fair Haven, Hubbardton, Orwell and West Haven in western Vermont. Staff adapted instruction while many of their usual technology tools were unavailable.
“We recognize that the length and complexity of this incident have created challenges and questions for our staff, families, and community,” Olsen-Farrell said in the district’s Sept. 29 statement.
The district said it was working with cybersecurity professionals, legal counsel, its insurer and law enforcement while securing and restoring systems. Investigators were assessing what information may have been affected and whether notifications were required.
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The district has not identified an attacker, disclosed the amount demanded or confirmed whether data was compromised. It has not said whether any systems were encrypted.
In January 2025, a separate ransomware attack at Addison Northwest School District in Vermont locked employees out of servers and shut down internet service at three schools and its central office, the Addison Independent reported. Its superintendent confirmed the ransomware characterization to the newspaper.
As of Sept. 29, Slate Valley had not identified which services remained unavailable or given a date for full recovery.
