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Classes will resume on Thursday, Jan. 12, for Des Moines Public Schools students, as the district recovers from what it is calling a “cybersecurity incident.”
A DMPS spokesperson wrote in a statement Tuesday night, that the district’s information technology professionals have made significant progress in restoring the district’s systems.
In a news conference Tuesday afternoon, DMPS interim superintendent Matt Smith announced Wednesday classes would be cancelled for a second day in a row.
WATCH: Des Moines Public Schools press conference on cybersecurity incident.
When students return to school on Thursday, the district said they should expect an “offline learning experience.”
DMPS said access to Infinite Campus student information is now available, phones are working, some staff members will have internet access, and that staff will take appropriate measures to ensure the buildings are safe and secure.
Smith said the district is treating the incident as a ransomware attack. He said state and federal authorities are investigating.
Smith said a routine system check alerted the district to the issue, which led the district taking its internet and network services offline on Monday morning. The district said it needed to cancel school Tuesday because much of the technology used in classrooms and in operations was not working.
Smith said the district has two built-in snow days to account for Tuesday and Wednesday.
Smith said that while classes are canceled for Wednesday, the district’s offices will remain open.
Des Moines Public Schools is planning to have another update on the situation on Wednesday morning.
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