You may have noticed that PowerSchool was down again this week. In an effort to improve cybersecurity, changes have been made to our operating systems including PowerSchool. It is my understanding the PowerSchool app is still not working. I will keep families posted on any news I hear regarding that, BUT I know there is now a new link for students and their families to access grades and view student progress in classes. This link is active and working and can be found below. If you have forgotten your login information and/or password, please email your building administrative assistant and they can get you your PowerSchool information.

I wanted to provide a brief update on the restoration efforts following last month’s ransomware attack. First of all, thank you for your patience and flexibility as we continue to work through getting all technology-related services back up and running.

It’s important to remember that the cyber attack on our network is now part of an ongoing criminal investigation, therefore details cannot be shared. While schools have become an increased target for cybercriminals, we’ve been told by cybersecurity experts that the JCISD technology department was in a better position to recover from this attack than many other educational institutions. However, we will continue to make changes to improve security to prevent future attacks.

Below is a list of where things stand regarding the items that impact our students and their families.

• Network:

• Guest wifi: Offline indefinitely

• Devices:
  

• BYOD (Bring your own devices): We are asking that students not use personal devices on the network at this time. We will have an update in the future.
  

• Passwords:

• Student passwords:

• All students were assigned a new password. Those were distributed to all students

• Parent passwords to PowerSchool were not changed.

• Password storage:
  

• Do not store passwords on any file on your computer or phone that is not encrypted.

• Do not write your passwords down.

• If you must write down a password keep them in a locked, secured place that only you have access to like a fireproof safe.

• Consider using a free secure password manager.

• Do not share passwords with anyone including other staff members or substitute teachers.

• PowerSchool: Concord PowerSchool moved to the Cloud. Concord completed the move on Wednesday, December 7th, 2022. The system was down for several days but is now up and running.

• The new Parent and Student access portal can be found at https://concordschools.powerschool.com/public/home.html

• Resources:

• JCISD Ransomware Attack Information, Updates & FAQs: https://www.jcisd.org/domain/411

The Elementary and middle school will be showing their holiday spirit before Christmas break. Check out the spirit days below!

Ms. Taylor's 6th-grade social science class has been tackling the principles of economics and business. To help solidify the concepts, the kids took to the Shark Tank to build a business, create a product, and pitch their ideas. Ms. Taylor was very impressed with their hard work!!

Why the Hive is written by Mr. Arbuckle and it features one student a week. The student being featured exemplifies our Yellow Jacket Character Traits and demonstrates a passion for our #ONEHIVE community. This week we are featuring several students to make sure we do not miss anyone. Our Why The Hive features HALEY STIMER, LAYLA CLAUS, ZANE JASON, and DAMIEN WHEELER!!!

WE ARE OPEN!!!

Both our GSRP and latchkey programs have opened and are running classes. I had the distinct pleasure of covering as a teacher in one of our GSRP classes this week. I loved being able to experience preschool firsthand. The experience really provided a lot of insight into the importance of our early childhood programs. Plus it was A LOT of fun!!! Our students are amazing!! They can build, count, and love to do art! IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THE GSRP PROGRAM, SEE THE FLYER BELOW AND BEGIN THE ENROLLMENT PROCESS!!!

PLUS, we started latchkey this week and it was full of exploration and science. I appreciate our parents that have worked with us as we get things off the ground. I look forward to working with the community to create an enriching and meaningful program for all students!

The boy's and girls' Cross Country teams finished the year strong. They each took second in the conference. Both teams had quite a few young and inexperienced runners this year, but that did not slow them down. The girls' team took second at regionals with two runners named all-region. The boys won the regional with five runners earning all-region honors. Adair Artis won the meet with an outstanding run!! Both teams advanced to the finals at MIS on November 5th. The kids raced hard, on a windy day, and we ended up with two all-state runners. CONGRATULATIONS TO ADAIR ARTIS AND CIERRA BARRETT!!!

Student passes are for sale at the ticket table for $30. This pass is good for the entire school year...WHAT A DEAL!! Athletes DO NOT get in free for events other than their sport. Kids that want to help in the concession stand can earn a student pass. See Mrs. Gill or Mr. Lehman for details!

In an effort to improve the dining experience in the district, the food service department is turning to its customers. They have gathered information through surveys and held several focus groups to try to provide a high-quality experience to our students.

This month's new edition is THE BUILD YOUR OWN BURGER BAR. Students can stop by and make burgers THEIR way. Thanks to our student focus group for suggesting this idea!

Attention Seniors. In your graduating Google classroom, there are scholarships posted. Please check out the scholarships with upcoming deadlines. These are posted under the topics October Scholarship deadlines and November scholarship deadlines.

All of the scholarships currently listed are valued in thousands of dollars. One is even up to $200,000 and most scholarships are offering more than an award.

Do not wait until the night before the deadline as you may need recommendation letters and it is only appropriate to give someone a 2-week window to write you a recommendation letter.

Start your adventure today! Fun with friends. New adventures. Making a difference. Did you know that in Girl Scouts girls develop a strong sense of self, seek challenges, and be community problem solvers all while having fun with their friends?

You're ready to go and Girl Scouts is ready for you. All girls in K-12th grade are welcome to join. Join us today at girlscouts.org. Stop in the office to pick up a flyer.

If you would like to watch middle school action unfold follow Concord Middle School on Instagram. Their account is @concordyearbook. The yearbook club is going to be updating it more frequently than the Facebook page with pictures.

Have you liked the Elementary/Middle School Facebook Page? What about the Concord Community Schools Facebook Page??

If you have not yet, this week is a great time to start. The Elementary and Middle schools use the Facebook page to post many updates, announcements, and student photos; the Concord Community Schools page is a great way to see how a YellowJacket week unfolds! Don't miss the news - like and follow the pages today.

Concord Elementary/Middle School Facebook Page

Concord Community Schools Facebook Page

We are in need of bus drivers, food service staff members, coaches, and individuals willing to work through EduStaff as Guest Teachers or subs for all of our positions. If you are interested and able, we would love to have you on our team. Below you will find information about signing up to work as a Guest Teacher through Edustaff. Further, you can view unfilled positions on our website. If you have any questions, please call one of our offices.