Multiple red flags preceded last week’s “catastrophic” cyber attack on Baltimore County Schools

 

A tech expert warned school officials in 2019 their networks were vulnerable to attack. A trove of personal data was exposed later that year. And the state auditor warned of vulnerabilities months ago – and previously in 2015.

...The technology journal Ars Technica not only revealed that Baltimore County Public Schools had alarming weaknesses, but it used BCPS as a prime example of how school systems across the country were at risk for similar attacks...

https://www.baltimorebrew.com/2020/11/30/multiple-red-flags-preceded-last-weeks-catastrophic-cyber-attack-on-baltimore-county-schools/?fbclid=IwAR1pLoWqbMBHYQpxA_WCkkTX3KOv8l9xpNBdiJireX1hKwi-VIFusNyBNQk

Carroll County faces teacher shortage as reopening plan takes effect

Montgomery County parents, kids say they’re spending more time on troubleshooting than virtual learning

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/montgomery-county-parents-kids-say-theyre-spending-more-time-on-troubleshooting-than-virtual-learning

Open Letter to Maryland State Department of Education Superintendent Karen Salmon: Don't Abandon Digital Best Practices

 September 10, 2020

 

 

Dear Secretary Salmon,

 

Last year, Maryland’s public schools received the Health and Safety Best Practices Guidelines for Digital Devices that you signed and made mandatory reading for the state’s 25 school districts’ and 57,000 full-time teachers.

 

I advocated hard for the bill that led to these guidelines, HB1110, and our Board of Education favored the bill.

 

These Best Practices state:

 

· Consider age and developmental level of students and recognize the importance of time limits. It is recommended that the use of digital devices with younger students be limited.

· Limit time on devices  – 10 to 20 minutes is recommended. Remind students to take eye and stretch breaks. (A separate document on this topic promotes the 20/20/20 rule regarding frequent eye breaks.)

 

Yet last Tuesday, MSDE called for at least 3.5 hours per day of live virtual instruction across all grade levels, imposing potential health threats to Maryland’s children.

 

The American Academy of Pediatrics, which is cited in the above MSDE document, states four very serious conditions advanced by screen time.

 

1.     Obesity. The odds of being overweight were almost 5 times greater for adolescents who watch more than 5 hours of TV per day compared with those who watch 0 to 2 hours.¹ This study’s findings contributed to recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics that children have 2 hours or less of sedentary screen time daily.

 

2.     Sleep Disturbances. Media use can negatively affect sleep.²  Exposure to light (particularly blue light) and activity from screens before bed affects melatonin levels and can delay or disrupt sleep.³ Media use around or after bedtime can disrupt sleep and negatively affect school performance.⁴

 

3.     Addiction. Children who overuse online media are at risk of problematic Internet use,⁵ and heavy users of video games are at risk of Internet gaming disorder.⁶

 

4.     Academic decline. A growing body of evidence suggests that the use of media while engaged in academic tasks has negative consequences on learning.^7,8

 

Other districts around the country are solving for remote learning with outdoor classrooms, independent study projects and other innovative enrichment opportunities. In Montgomery County, leaders give students Wednesday offline every week to allow them to explore and learn organically and independently.

 

I ask that MSDE give local districts the autonomy to create virtual learning plans that respond to local stakeholder input — primarily, our teachers. Passing down statewide mandates and thresholds will inhibit creative solutions, create physical and mental health consequences,⁹ and yield proven unremarkable academic results.¹⁰

Lisa Cline

 

MCPS Parent and Safe Technology Advocate

Hackers Break Into FCPS Network, Hold Info for Ransom

 Hackers have broken into Fairfax County Public Schools' computer network and say they're holding personal information for ransom.

There's no telling how much was stolen.

Fairfax County Public Schools have confirmed the hack, but an association that represents FCPS teachers and staff says employees haven't been informed that their personal information could have been stolen.

Western New York school district delays classes after wave of teacher resignations and leaves of absence

 (CNN)A school district outside Buffalo, New York, has delayed the start of online-only learning programs for grades 5-12 because of mass staff resignations and leaves of absence, the superintendent announced on Friday.

In a letter to families, Williamsville Central School District Superintendent Scott Martzloff said 90 staff members have taken a leave of absence due to Covid-19 and 111 staff members resigned.

Additionally, 2,361 students opted into online-only learning, including 1,375 middle and high school students, creating more than 80 virtual teacher vacancies, the letter reads...

https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/05/us/new-york-school-district-delays-online-classes/index.html

WBAL: FBI warns of cyber predators accessing children through virtual learning

 MILFORD MILL, Md. —

The Baltimore office of the FBI warns that complaints about cybercrimes against children are up more than 250% in the city alone, and nationwide, they said the numbers are staggering.

"To highlight the amount of complaints that are coming in, we are literally drowning in them," said Matt Vilcek, supervisory special agent for the Violent Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Unit...

https://www.wbaltv.com/article/cyber-predators-virtual-learning-at-home-learning-online-learning/33915367

TODAY: The Maryland State Board of Education is holding a meeting on recommendations for the school year which began yesterday for many school districts. Follow @KateRyanWTOP for play by play coverage of breaking State BOE news.

The Maryland State Board of Education is holding a meeting on recommendations for the school year which began yesterday for many school districts. Discussion of how school day ought to be organized in "synchronous" vs "asynchronous" learning is being discussed 

"Synchronous" - online in real time with instruction before the whole class 

"Asyncrhonous" - online instruction that can be played at anytime, not in realtime or "live" 

MD State School Board member Rachel McCusker, attending meeting from her classroom (she's an educator) says it's "unacceptable" for the board to be considering a plan that the public hasn't had a chance to weigh in on. 

Board members ask when the options being presented today, Plans A and B were first presented. Answer: last Monday. 

Carol Williamson says the plan was first made public Friday--this past Friday. 

That's Dr. Carol Williamson 

Dr. Mele-McCarthy points out synchronous learning may be of special help to kids who struggle with material--not just kids with IEPs (individual education plans) 

Board member Rose Li says the timing of the recommendations has raised questions, and asks about assistance that could be offered to school systems to meet those. 

aaand I get points knocked off for spelling: it's asynchronous and synchronous. (definitions still hold) 

Board member Lori Morrow also critical of the "timing" and "manner" of the rollout of the recommendations: Friday night and then posted to web so public could see on Saturday morning. Asks to postpone decision until later meeting. 

another member (appearing online as call in user 2) says "its unfair to be overly critical of Dr. Salmon and Governor Hogan" regarding plans because of the "fluidity of the circumstance" "response to a pandemic is fluid" 

Motion is made to delay decision on scheduling for Maryland state schools 

Student member of the Board, Jason Wu asks if the motion to delay action until 9/22 would schools then have to try to move forward with in person learning? 

Dr. Salmon says "You're asking me some hard questions, Jason" but says she'd check to see if Option A remains on the table for a 9/22 meeting whether the 9/28 reevaluation would be required by school systems. 

Board member Vermelle Green says she does not want to see a delay, "We should decide on one or another today" and says she's concerned about some students who are being harmed by online learning (reading skills in particular) 

Now we are getting some more motions to tweak either Option A or Option B. 

Gen Sumpter warns against "kicking the can down the road" if more feedback is wanted, he says Board should act before 9/22 

Motion to delay the decision fails 7-6-1 (a vote of 8 needed to pass) one member had to leave before the vote 

on different suggested motion now, Vermelle Green "the babies need to be back in school" says schools should look to have in-person learning "as soon as possible" 

https://twitter.com/KateRyanWTOP

Zoom-based opera for preschoolers might sound like your worst nightmare. But it’s actually the best Zoom there is.

...Kids today are a bit more hands-on, as I discovered during a recent session of “Opera Starts With Oh!,” an opera education program for ages 3 to 7, run by the D.C. and NYC-based company Opera Lafayette.

Admittedly, preschoolers, Zoom and opera don’t immediately sound like the makings of a successful project, but each installment I watched of “Opera Starts With Oh!” — helmed by director, choreographer and teaching artist Emma Jaster and Opera Lafayette community engagement manager Ersian François — kept its grid of budding opera buffs rapt with an action-packed half-hour of activities, performances and assorted operatic antics...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/zoom-based-opera-for-preschoolers-might-sound-like-your-worst-nightmare-but-its-actually-the-best-zoom-there-is/2020/08/18/01e15982-dda4-11ea-809e-b8be57ba616e_story.html

Calif. special education teacher appears shirtless during virtual class, teen who snapped photos speaks out

https://abc7news.com/shirtless-teacher-san-jose-silver-creek-high-school-distance-learning/6371654/

..."He seemed really awkward and kind of gave me like a weird vibe," Makaylah told ABC7 News. "And when he was using the camera, it was all shaking around and like, moving everywhere."

"I realized he wasn't wearing a shirt," Makaylah told ABC7 News. "And that was kind of awkward, made me feel uncomfortable."

So she called her mother. Elizabeth Avila told Makaylah to take a picture, then immediately log off. She left the class of 10 to 15 other students...

Online Predator Complaints Spike During Pandemic

...“We have to be parents and stronger parents than ever,” Montgomery County Council of PTA’s Safe Technology subcommittee chair Lisa Cline said.

“I urge parents be totally aware of age restrictions on social media,” Cline said. “If you’re under 13, you really can’t be on them for liability purposes. I always advise parents to postpone any purchase of a personal mobile device. No smartphone until eighth grade.”

“Kids have a lot of curiosity,” she said. “If they’re going to the internet for answers, they’ll get some answers that are wrong, terrifying and scarring.”..

https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/online-predator-complaints-spike-during-pandemic/2377394/?fbclid=IwAR35ebEdIapg4mgMRSMp3siEgSwGFpwqDK6WAtAUT6hCFJoINHIRATATxVI

MCPS To Provide Virtual-Only Learning for First Semester

Plan to be reassessed in November 2020 for Second Semester

Dear Parents, Guardians, Students and Staff:
I am writing to provide an important update on our Fall 2020 recovery plans. MCPS has been working closely with county and state health officials on the potential reopening of schools. Yesterday (July 20), we received additional guidance from Dr. Travis Gayles, county health officer, in which he shared that “based upon the current state of surveillance and epidemiological data, I would not recommend in-person instruction for students inside school  buildings at this time. I recommend investing in a virtual instruction model until, at earliest, the completion of the first quarter in November, with consideration for virtual instruction through the first semester.” As I have shared previously, our plan has always envisioned starting in a virtual-only model. However, given this updated guidance, the safest choice for our district is to remain in a virtual-only instructional model through the first semester—January 29, 2021; or until state and local health officials determine conditions in our county allow for students to return safely after the first semester. This decision includes the cancellation of all fall and winter sports. Working with Dr. Gayles and county elected officials, we will reassess at the end of the first quarter (November 9, 2020) to determine if we are able to implement a phased blended model in the second semester (beginning February 1, 2021). We will continue to engage with our community as we continue to navigate this incredibly complex situation.


We anticipate that Governor Larry Hogan and Dr. Karen Salmon, state superintendent of schools, will also provide an update on the state’s recovery plan for schools this week. We will review their guidance and make all necessary adjustments to align our plans.


We continue to explore creative ways to support students receiving special services and families with significant challenges in accessing curriculum through a virtual model. We also know that this decision to extend virtual instruction will significantly impact the work schedules of many parents in our county. We are seeking the ability to allow buildings to remain open in a limited capacity for essential purposes, including meal service; to support access to technology and other materials; and for use by some child care providers.


On August 6, 2020, we will provide an updated plan to the Board of Education. This update will reflect adjustments stemming from changes in guidance from local health officials and the important feedback we’ve received from students, staff and the community. The Board of Education will vote on this plan at that time.


We are building on what we learned during the spring to provide a robust and dynamic virtual learning experience for our students. Our staff is being provided additional professional development to enhance their instructional abilities in a virtual model; we have put systems in place to ensure all students have access to digital devices and access to the internet when they are away from school buildings; and we are building in additional time for student support and learning opportunities. We are also streamlining digital tools and platforms to make it easier for our students, staff and families to engage in teaching and learning.


Our students are the heart of what we do and why we exist. There is no doubt in my mind that we all want what’s best for students. This decision is incredibly difficult as we know how much students need school for their academic success and social-emotional well-being. We take the immense responsibility of ensuring staff and student safety, educating our students and creating opportunities for all seriously. Thank you for your continued support and collaboration as we work together to meet the needs of our students, staff and families.


Sincerely,
Jack R. Smith, Ph.D.
Superintendent of Schools


 

Kids face greater online risks with COVID-19; will Congress act?

When schools closed down this spring, our kids’ education and social lives shifted online. Tech companies now have more influence than ever before over children’s lives, but too many platforms haven’t been designed with kids’ safety and wellbeing in mind, and the harms are mounting.

Perhaps most disturbing is the surge in reports of online child sexual abuse in recent months. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received more than 4 million such reports in April — an increase of nearly 3 million from April 2019. The FBI issued a warning to parents in March, and the Los Angeles Times reported that law enforcement officials in L.A. were “overwhelmed in recent months by a surge in tips about online child sex abuse, with social media platforms and other service providers flagging explicit content and suspicious interactions at an alarming rate.” Some sexual predators are even seizing on the opportunity, circulating a “handbook” on the dark web for how to exploit children online during the pandemic...

https://thehill.com/opinion/cybersecurity/507492-kids-face-greater-online-risks-with-covid-19-will-congress-act

Phoenix schools go fully remote for beginning of school year

From CBS News.

Know the options: Here’s how to pick an online school next year

From the Sun Sentinel. Reporter Lois K. Solomon. Full story here.

South Florida school options are diminishing almost daily. The pressure is mounting on parents to figure out how to make sure their kids get a quality education next year.

Palm Beach County schools will likely offer online-only instruction when the school year starts Aug. 10. Miami-Dade schools are also planning virtual-only learning to open the school year Aug. 24. Broward will make a decision on how to open schools in the coming weeks.

So what else is out there? There are private schools, some of which already have announced they will reopen for in-person classes, and charter schools, which are publicly funded but privately managed.

Then there are the public online schools that have been around for years, including Florida Virtual School and county-run virtual schools.

Florida Virtual School

The statewide, tuition-free online program, based in Orlando, has seen a 42 percent increase in applications to its full-time school since the pandemic began, spokeswoman Tania Clow said. Applications to its Flex programs, which allow part-time study, have jumped 29 percent. There’s no cap on enrollment in the Flex program; for the full-time school, she said administrators will see how many applications they have after the July 31 deadline.

In the full-time program, students learn on a traditional 180-day school calendar with state certified teachers and get a Florida Virtual School diploma when they graduate. There are live and recorded sessions and frequent contacts with teachers, who communicate by phone, email and text.

And there is some flexibility to move around: Students can transfer back to their home school after completing the fall semester if brick-and-mortar schools reopen.

Although students participate from all over the state, FLVS Full Time offers some school activities and events. Elementary and middle school students write morning announcements and high school students have a news show. Before the pandemic, there were monthly meetups by county as well as a Grad Bash and a graduation ceremony for seniors, held in Central Florida.

 

Broward Virtual School, Palm Beach Virtual School, Miami-Dade Online Academy

These are local franchises of the state FLVS program. Teachers are based in your county and work on the same August to May schedule as the local school district.

 

Palm Beach Virtual School had about 300 students last year; Broward Virtual had about 80 in kindergarten through fifth grade, although the school has received more than 300 applications for next year and is already full for elementary school, Principal Christopher McGuire said.

In Montgomery County, schools and parents clash over how much teachers and students are connecting

When the coronavirus pandemic closed schools in Maryland, Brian Krantz expected that his children’s classes would move online, with a thoughtful plan and at least some live instruction.

It didn’t go as he imagined.

The first sound of a teacher’s voice leading a lesson, he said, came about six weeks into the school closures. Even now, he said, his 12-year-old daughter’s teachers mostly post assignments and recorded materials, leaving virtual office hours as the main time for questions or any live interaction with them.

“I understand there are equity issues,” he said. “But I think there’s a way to have things fair and still provide more of a learning experience than kids are getting now.”

His concerns in Montgomery County, one of the nation’s largest and most diverse school systems, come amid broader tensions between learning and fairness in a suburb where poverty co-exists with affluence and priorities sometimes clash...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/montgomery-county-online-learning/2020/05/19/d98f0ed2-9390-11ea-82b4-c8db161ff6e5_story.html?utm_campaign=wp_local&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

NYC teachers, students grapple with tech glitches, equity concerns as virtual AP exams begin

After months of study and practice, Brooklyn high school senior Abigail Grigoryan churned out two short essays in just 45 minutes during her online AP Government exam.

But when she hit submit, her computer screen flashed a terrifying message: her response didn’t go through, and time was up...

https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/ny-virtual-ap-exams-coronavirus-20200513-fdp64w25u5hy7naeogg67l7fqu-story.html

AP Snafus / Why is the College Board in our Schools?

In the midst of this pandemic it became clear that the College Board, a private company, could not use its favorite space for AP examinations: public schools across the country.

Why does the AP like using public school space, paid for by local governments, and not its own private space?

Let’s start by asking, what does the College Board pay school systems to use their space?  Oh, and what does it pay school systems for cancelling classes?  And I guess, what does it pay to families for having their children’s classes cancelled?

Nothing. Nothing. Nothing.

The College Board steals from families and local governments across the country. But the cost is built in. It’s hidden. But it is real.

The College Board also could not use its favorite proctors. Who do they use to proctor their exams? How do they pay them?

Public School teachers. And the College Board does not pay them. Local school districts pay the College Board’s proctors.

Are these unemployed teachers?

Nope. These teachers have their own classes. While they are proctoring, their classes are not being taught by their regular teachers. They are being taught by subs...

https://jd2718.org/2020/05/15/ap-snafus-why-is-the-college-board-in-our-schools/

Magruder High teacher accused of pointing gun at his wife

A Magruder High School teacher has been charged with pointing a gun at his wife during a dispute.

Christopher McGuthrie, 45, of Burtonsville, was arrested on May 8. Police said he pointed a gun at his wife multiple times...

https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/police-fire/magruder-high-teacher-accused-of-pointing-gun-at-his-wife/

Report: In-school learning may be staggered by day, week or grade in Maryland this fall

(WJLA) — Maryland schools will look dramatically different when students return. A 54-page report, unveiled by Maryland‘s state superintendent, suggests strategies for slowly moving kids back to classrooms, including:

• One day a week in school and the rest online
• One week on and one week off
• Having some grades of students at home, others at school

There are also proposals to stagger in-times during the day that would require some students to attend in the morning and others early afternoon,

Right now, the report has a timeline of students returning to classrooms during Phase 3 of Maryland's re-opening plan...

https://wjla.com/news/local/when-will-maryland-schools-students-return?fbclid=IwAR1ak4lGkDDD7wnjsOIooepV3y3iQ78kDkR0u87EOIipgw1v2-ghAhdCfy0