Wichita school district: Employees will still be paid during computer shutdown

Wichita school district computer systems still were shut down Wednesday during an investigation into a hacking attempt, but officials said employee paychecks would go out as scheduled.

Technology staff members also are working to provide copies of transcripts to high school seniors no later than Thursday morning to meet college and scholarship application deadlines, officials said.

“It is our number one priority to ensure the integrity of all data systems, and we regret the inconvenience caused by doing so,” district spokeswoman Susan Arensman said Wednesday.

The state’s largest school district disabled its Synergy student information system over the weekend as a precaution while officials investigated a hacking attempt discovered Friday. The system authenticates student transcripts, which many high school seniors need to send to colleges by Sunday to meet early application deadlines.

In an e-mail to district employees Wednesday, Superintendent John Allison said employees scheduled to receive paychecks Friday “will be paid as anticipated.”

The district’s PeopleSoft payroll system also is inaccessible during the computer shutdown. Employees having trouble clocking in or out should keep a paper record of their time and work with supervisors to resolve any payroll discrepancies when the PeopleSoft system is once again available, Allison said.

Teachers have been instructed to record grades and take attendance “using an alternate method” until the Synergy system is operational.

“We still do not know the full extent of the (hacking) attempt, but there is no evidence at this time that it involves student records,” Allison said Wednesday. “Initial indications are that the attempt was limited.”

He said some employees have asked whether they should be concerned about the safety of their personal data.

“We are continuing our investigation with the help of outside cyber-security experts,” Allison said in the e-mail. “There is no specific action required at this time. However, as a matter of ongoing personal protection in today’s digital world, it is always important to be vigilant in the protection of your personal data.”

Officials said they don’t know how long the investigation will take or when the computer systems will be back up.

“We all have been inconvenienced by the inability to access key information systems,” Allison said in the e-mail to employees. “I request your continued patience as we carefully and methodically work to ensure the integrity of all the district’s data systems.”

People with specific questions or concerns should e-mail info@usd259.net, officials said. Common concerns will be updated on a frequently-asked-questions document on the district’s website: www.cyberfaq.usd259.org.

This story was originally published October 28, 2015 at 4:47 PM with the headline "Wichita school district: Employees will still be paid during computer shutdown."