Update: PowerSchool Data Breach
Update January 15, 2025, at 12:00p.m. - GPPSD was informed on January 8, 2025, of a cybersecurity incident involving PowerSchool, the system used for student information.
PowerSchool has confirmed that the incident has been contained and has implemented stronger security measures to prevent future breaches. We want to assure our families that no financial information was accessed or stored in PowerSchool. Read the letter from PowerSchool outlining the situation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What data was accessed?
PowerSchool advised that the data accessed included personal information such as parent and student contact information. This includes names, birthdates, addresses and phone numbers. Some teacher information is also stored in PowerSchool. We continue to work with PowerSchool to determine the extent of the breach. We will communicate further as more information becomes available.
All current and former GPPSD students and staff from 2011 and onward.
Q: I uploaded my personal documents during the registration process. Have these been compromised?
Personal documents (i.e., birth certificates, drivers’ licenses, and immigration documents) uploaded for registration to SchoolEngage, not PowerSchool.
Q; What information is stored in PowerSchool?
PowerSchool includes student information such as names, birthdates, addresses and phone numbers, student ID numbers and medical and guardian notes. PowerSchool also stores staff information, such as names, phone numbers and addresses, GPPSD email accounts and ID numbers.
Q; Were photos accessed?
No. Student and staff photos were not accessed in this incident.
Q; Was financial information compromised?
Based on the information provided by PowerSchool, financial information was not compromised. GPPSD does not store credit card or other financial information in PowerSchool.
Q; How did the unauthorized party gain access to PowerSchool?
PowerSchool advised that access was gained using a compromised PowerSchool employee’s credentials. Once compromised, access was gained to data from multiple school divisions worldwide.
Q; Will credit monitoring be offered?
PowerSchool has indicated that it will be providing credit monitoring to affected adults and identity protection services to affected minors in accordance with regulatory and contractual obligations. We continue to work with PowerSchool to understand the extent of the breach and those impacted.
Q: Can I still access PowerSchool?
Yes. PowerSchool is available for school and family use.
Q: Should we change our passwords?
It’s good practice to change passwords regularly and not use the same password across different applications.
Q: Is PowerSchool safe to use?
PowerSchool has taken steps to secure its systems and has assured us that the breach has been contained.
Visit https://www.powerschool.com/security/sis-incident/ for PowerSchool updates.
Next Steps
We are actively monitoring the situation and continue working with PowerSchool to determine the scope of the incident and potential impacts on families and staff to determine the next steps.
We will continue to share updates with our families as soon as information becomes available.
Questions can be directed to the GPPSD FOIP Coordinator by emailing info@gppsd.ab.ca or to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta at oipc@ab.ca.
Division Information
Grande Prairie Public School Division
Email: communications@gppsd.ab.ca
Phone: 780-532-4491
