Springfield Public Schools remains in recovery mode following a cyberattack that shut down district operations and forced schools to close for the second half of the week, and the local teachers union says too many questions remain unanswered as students prepare to head back to class.
The Springfield cyberattack hit just one week into the new school year, leaving parents suddenly without childcare or the school meal programs many families depend on. District officials have said students are expected to return to classrooms on Monday, but the disruption caused by the incident has rippled well beyond the classroom.
Classrooms Closed After the Springfield Cyberattack
To help ease the burden of the Springfield cyberattack, the district arranged grab-and-go meal service at six locations across the city on both Thursday and Friday, with each stop providing a lunch as well as a breakfast for the following morning. The YMCA of Greater Springfield also stepped up, opening its doors to full-day care for any family already enrolled in its before- and after-school programs.
YMCA CEO Dexter Johnson told 22News, “We opened our doors to all of our families we serve in our before- and after-school programs for full-day care until the school system is able to reopen its doors.” The organization’s downtown location alone has taken in more than 100 children since the closures began, and Johnson said spots remained available for families needing full-day coverage on Friday.
Officials Address the Cyberattack on Springfield
Mayor Domenic Sarno and Superintendent Dr. Sonia Dinnall led a Thursday news conference alongside other district officials to update the public on recovery efforts and the plan for reopening. Sarno repeatedly referred to the incident as a “cyber attack” throughout the briefing and placed blame squarely on the “cyber attack hackers” behind it.
Union Says Key Questions Remain Unanswered
Riley Hernandez, president of the Springfield Education Association — which represents roughly 2,700 educators and other school employees — said the union is still waiting for clarity from district leadership on how the cyberattack on Springfield schools may have affected staff and students. We are in the midst of a severe cyber attack. In this trying time, on behalf of the 2700 educators we represent in Springfield Public Schools, I want to acknowledge the stress and confusion this moment of uncertainty and emergency closure has caused students, families, Springfield Education Association members, and all staff in Springfield Public Schools,” Hernandez said in a statement Thursday.
Hernandez said he has requested a formal meeting with Dinnall and her cabinet but has yet to receive a response. “I still have not received an invitation to meet with Dr. Dinnall and her cabinet. Many unanswered questions still remain. It is not clear where the District is at in fully resolving this cyber incident or what sensitive information the breach has compromised,” he said.
In a letter sent to district officials Wednesday, the union laid out a list of demands ahead of educators’ return to the classroom. Among them: what categories of employee data — including health, financial and Social Security information — may have been exposed; whether the breach triggers mandatory legal reporting obligations; and what support the district will offer staff affected by compromised personal information.
The union also wants answers on the status of lesson plans and curriculum materials, how students who depend on assistive technology will be served, and how the district will keep buildings secure without functioning phone systems and other safety infrastructure.
Despite the unresolved questions, Hernandez said teachers are ready to get back to work. “As educators, we will be expected to deliver instruction in the midst of an unresolved technological shutdown of Springfield Public Schools. We will rise to the occasion with integrity to provide high quality public education that the students and families of Springfield truly deserve,” he said.
A Day to Regroup
The union welcomed the district’s decision to designate Friday as a professional development day, giving staff time to figure out which systems are still functioning, identify materials that need to be rebuilt from scratch, and prepare for students’ return. Hernandez said a smooth transition back to class will depend on educators getting real time to coordinate with administrators and each other.
The SEA’s executive committee was set to meet Thursday afternoon to map out next steps. Hernandez said he still intends to press district leaders for a formal sit-down to discuss the return-to-work process, how alternative instruction will be handled, and how the district plans to make up instructional days lost to the cyberattack on Springfield schools.
