Aurora Public Schools will have delayed starts Thursday and Friday because of an internet and phone outage affecting the entire district, according to school officials.
Corey Christiansen, the school district’s public information officer, wrote in a statement that the outage was caused by “suspicious activity” spotted within the network Monday.
Christiansen didn’t state why the activity was suspicious, but noted the district is investigating and purposefully shut down its internet and phone services to secure its “technology infrastructure.”
The district is running a 2-hour delayed start schedule, Christiansen wrote in an emailed statement. As a result, morning preschool was canceled Thursday but afternoon preschool will proceed. Preschool classes do not meet on Fridays.
The district intends to resolve the outage by Tuesday, when students return to school after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Christiansen wrote that while efforts to fix the problem are ongoing, “additional time is needed to fully restore our internet and phone service.”
Christiansen stated the school district’s technology team is working with third-party experts to resolve the outage.
Security officers are monitoring the district’s schools and offices, Christiansen wrote. Intercom systems are still working and emergency contact information has been printed out to ensure open communication between families and students.
