Burrillville Schools Probe Cybersecurity Incident Targeting High School; Classes Stayed Open as Internet Services Faltered

Summary: Burrillville, R.I. — District officials are investigating a “cybersecurity event” reported mid-week that disrupted some internet-dependent services but did not shut schools. Early indications point to Burrillville High School as the focus; the district says student and staff Chromebooks were not affected and it is working with law enforcement and outside specialists. 

The Burrillville School Department says it is reviewing a cybersecurity incident first detected in the early hours of Wednesday, Sept. 24, prompting a precautionary response and coordination with police and external cybersecurity professionals. Several services that required internet access were unavailable into Wednesday and Thursday, though schools remained open and classes continued.

District communications describe the event as contained to central systems supporting the high school; officials emphasized that no student or staff Chromebooks were impacted. The department’s IT team moved to protect data and restore functionality while forensics got underway, according to local broadcast and wire reports.

In statements to local media, leaders reiterated that the incident is under active investigation and that updates will be shared with families as verified details become available. Yahoo’s regional roundup likewise noted the district’s work with police and outside experts, underscoring that school operations continued despite network limitations.

What families should know right now

• School was in session: Campuses stayed open; only certain online services were down while teams assessed the incident.
• Student devices not implicated: The district reports Chromebooks were unaffected, reducing the likelihood of widespread device re-imaging.
• Investigation ongoing: Authorities and third-party responders are analyzing logs and access pathways to determine scope and any data exposure.

Why this matters

K–12 districts increasingly face targeted disruptions that aim to knock out key systems during school days without necessarily touching student hardware. In Burrillville’s case, strong device separation and quick triage appear to have limited classroom impact even as central services briefly went offline. Local coverage indicates the value of having an incident playbook and outside partners on call before a crisis hits.

What’s next

Officials say they will continue restoring affected services and will notify the community if the inquiry identifies any data at risk. For now, families should watch for district updates and treat any unexpected emails or “urgent” payment or password-reset requests as suspicious until verified through known channels. Yahoo

Editor’s note: This story will be updated as the district releases additional technical findings or provides guidance for students and staff.