(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic School Board, Wednesday, received a nearly hour-long report from District Technology Director Roger Warne, who says Atlantic, like most school districts in the State, has a Cyber Security rating that is “inadequate,” at least according to a questionnaire Warne filled-out during a series of Cyber Security meetings that took place over six-weeks.

There were approximately 25-to 30 school districts that participated in the session. One thing everyone came away with, was that a chance of a cyber attack is unavoidable… it’s just a matter of when. The security sessions were sponsored by Green Hills AEA, and provided by Security Studio.

Roger Warne said while the AEA sessions from Security Studio were free, the Atlantic School District can continue to use the company’s services for about $3,600 per year. Warne said there are four different areas of control a district can secure against a cyber attack: Administrative, Physical, Internal/Technical and External. With regard to the latter…

The District’s Physical Controls – access control entry into the building, etc. – he said, are good, but there is still room for improvement. Cyber attacks are something every district needs to plan for, he says, and it’s not necessary to “panic.”

An Action Plan includes updating some of the District’s antiquated security systems to the newer standards, which equates to about $5,000 per building. The plan would also call for swapping out Chromebook laptops every eight-years or so, even with incremental changes in which grades get the current laptops each year, as classes graduate.

School Board Vice-President Kristy Pellet asked Warne what he estimated the District should set aside each year for cyber and physical security systems, noting that, before Roger became the Technology Director, the District budgeted $100,000 every year, for technology.

Many school, districts began to take a more serious look at what needs to be done to avert a cyber attack, when the Des Moines Public School District systems were breached, leading to the cancellation of classes for two days.