MENDON — Superintendent Dr. Maureen Cohen and Director of Learning and Innovation Ryan Robidoux are pleased to announce that Mendon-Upton Regional School District has been awarded grant-funded access to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ 2026 Cybersecurity Awareness Program.
The Commonwealth’s Cybersecurity Awareness Program is designed to support school districts and municipalities in improving cybersecurity resilience through employee training, threat simulation and ongoing monitoring.
Through the program, the Mendon-Upton Regional School District will receive access to the KnowBe4 cybersecurity awareness platform, providing staff with training and tools designed to strengthen the district’s ability to recognize and respond to cyber threats.
The program will run throughout calendar year 2026, from January through December.
As part of the initiative, more than 300 district employees will participate in cybersecurity awareness efforts. While the program is state-funded and does not provide a direct monetary award, the cybersecurity program provides approximately $11,130 in services to the school district.
The program includes onboarding training for new staff, periodic simulated phishing email exercises to improve awareness, and the use of an integrated email alert tool that allows staff to report suspicious messages directly to the district’s technology team.
Training will be incorporated into existing onboarding processes at the start of the school year, alongside other required staff trainings. Phishing simulations will be conducted periodically throughout the year and require staff to identify and report suspicious emails using tools embedded within the district’s email system.
“This program provides our staff with practical, real-world tools to recognize and respond to cybersecurity threats,” said Director of Learning and Innovation Ryan Robidoux. “By combining training with simulated phishing exercises and easy reporting tools, we are building a stronger, more informed school community when it comes to protecting sensitive information.”
“Protecting our students, staff and district systems is a top priority,” said Superintendent Cohen. “This opportunity allows us to strengthen our cybersecurity practices in a meaningful way, while ensuring our employees are equipped with the knowledge and resources they need to stay vigilant against increasingly sophisticated threats.”
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