Network problems shut Boyertown Schools two days early

BOYERTOWN — Due to apparently serious and sudden computer problems, the Boyertown Area School District abruptly announced the end of the school year and all classes Wednesday – two days early.

A voicemail and text message sent out to families and staff Wednesday night from Alison Moyer, the district’s communications specialist, provided some details. Although no information was posted on the district web page, several sources confirmed for MediaNews Group that the message was legitimate.

“Due to network server issues impacting our heating and cooling systems, and our phones and intercom systems, the Boyertown Area School District will be closed on Thursday, May 30th, and Friday, May 31st — bringing our school year to a close. This action is not taken lightly and is done out of an abundance of caution for the health and safety of our students and staff. All district buildings will be closed both days,” Moyer wrote.

“To help us resolve our systems issues more effectively and efficiently, we are asking all students to log out of any district devices they have at home and perform a hard shutdown of the device. Devices are to remain off and unused until further notice,” Moyer said in her message.

Graduation is being held as planned at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 30, at Santander Arena.

“The Graduation Walks planned for tomorrow morning at our elementary and middle school buildings have been canceled. We sincerely apologize to our Class of 2024. World Language Finals have been canceled,” Moyer wrote, adding “8th grade project presentations have been canceled” and “report cards for all grades will be delayed until further notice.”

All across social media, parents and staffers were expressing shock and disappointment that their students would miss their last days.

Although it is not clear exactly what caused the disruption to the Boyertown systems, if it was a cyber-attack, it’s not the first one in Pennsylvania this year. On March 15, the Scranton School District was hit by a ransomware attack that shut down systems for several hours.

On March 18, a similar server problem was reported in the Riverview School District in Allegheny County.

In 2019, Wallenpaupack Area School District in Northeast Pennsylvania experienced a similar ransomware attack. Superintendent Keith Gunuskey told WNEP television “days turned into weeks and then months before things were back to normal.”

According to NPR, an analysis by the cybersecurity firm Emsisoft found 45 school districts across the country reported they were attacked in 2022. That number more than doubled to 108 in 2023.

In Boyertown, the district was scrambling to pick up the pieces.

“We will make arrangements for students to pick up any remaining items from school in the coming days. Please do not visit the buildings until you have been notified of our plans,” said Moyer.

“This is not the way any of us planned to end the school year, and we offer our sincerest apologies for the last minute changes,” she wrote. “We look forward to celebrating the Class of 2024 as planned, and we wish all of you the best of summers!”