Rochester Public Schools in Minnesota has announced it will close on Monday after detecting unusual activity on the district’s network. The network and “almost all core technology systems” were shut down on Thursday, with staff beginning an investigation into a possible cyber attack.
The decision was made “out of an abundance of caution”, according to District Superintendent Kent Pekel. Sports and extracurricular activities will continue as normal.
Pekel added that teaching would be difficult without access to the internet or district systems.
He also regretted needing to share the news during what was for many families a holiday weekend and at the end of spring break. The district expects to resume classes on Tuesday with reduced access to the network.
The closure comes amid a wave of cyber attacks on US school systems in recent years, often involving ransomware, where hackers infiltrate a system and demand payment to restore access.
Earlier this month, a ransomware attack forced a school district in Maryland to close for several days.
