Jerome, Idaho – The Jerome School District confirmed that it will not hold classes on Monday, Oct. 19, after a cybersecurity incident disrupted its network systems on Oct. 17. Superintendent Brent Johnson issued a statement emphasizing that protecting student and staff information is the district’s top priority.
Immediate response and ongoing investigation
Upon detecting the breach, district leadership and the technology team activated emergency protocols to contain the threat. The district’s communications and network operations have been taken offline while the technology department works alongside state and federal agencies to investigate the incident.
“Protecting student and staff information remains our top priority, and we have taken prompt and proactive steps to safeguard critical data and systems,” Johnson said. “We appreciate the community’s patience and understanding as we work to resolve this issue and safely restore full operations.”
Impact on students and staff
Johnson reassured families that student devices—including Chromebooks and laptops—are secure and that no student data has been compromised. Staff devices are currently undergoing security clearance and maintenance before they are returned to service.
Because of the outage, the district will also cancel parent‑teacher conferences scheduled for Monday night at Jerome Middle School. Conferences set for Wednesday will proceed as planned.
Athletics and extracurricular activities
Athletic practice schedules are being adjusted. The eighth‑grade girls A‑team basketball and both boys’ and girls’ wrestling will continue practice at their normal times, while all other sports practices are canceled for the day.
Community impact and next steps
Johnson acknowledged that unexpected schedule changes can create difficulties for families, but stressed that the decision was not made lightly. “We want to be completely open with you about the reason for this closure and reassure you about the steps we are taking to protect our school community,” he added.
The district promises to provide further updates as confirmed information becomes available. Parents and community members are encouraged to monitor the district’s official communication channels for the latest news.
Original reporting: KIVI Idaho News 6 Boise metro (local) — read the source article.
