Windsor Schools’ Proactive Approach to Cybersecurity and Student Safety
How Cloud Monitor and Content Filter Provide Visibility, Safety, and Peace of Mind at an Independent School
Windsor Schools, a specialized K-12 learning program in New Jersey, is dedicated to providing a safe and supportive learning environment for its students.
Soon after he started his role as IT Manager—and Windsor Schools’ sole technology staff member—Kyle Pezzolla recognized the need for a better way to monitor the school’s Google Workspace domain for student safety and data security risks. In 2022, he implemented ManagedMethods’ Cloud Monitor product, which provides the easy-to-use visibility and security controls he needs.
About a year later, after experiencing how easy Cloud Monitor made cybersecurity and student safety monitoring, Windsor Schools became an early adopter of ManagedMethods’ Content Filter cloud-based web filtering product. “Cloud Monitor was a game-changer for us, so when ManagedMethods launched Content Filter, it was an easy decision to bring that on too,” Kyle says.
“As a self-funded school, we have to be careful about where we invest. ManagedMethods’ products are extremely cost-effective for what they provide, and the support is great. If I ever need help, their team jumps in so I don’t have to waste my time troubleshooting issues on my own.”
—Kyle Pezzolla, IT Manager, Windsor Schools
As a self-funded school, Windsor Schools must be strategic with all its investments. “ManagedMethods is extremely cost-effective, which is important for us,” Kyle explains. “We don’t have access to the same government funding that public schools do, so affordability is a big factor in our decision-making. This was an easy choice because it delivers so much value at an attainable price.”
Challenges
Before adopting Cloud Monitor, Windsor Schools had no visibility into what users were storing and sharing in Google Drive. Kyle recalls, “I didn’t have any visibility before. You come to realize that you really don’t know what you don’t know. I needed something that would allow us to see if students were putting concerning content in their Drive.”
“Before Cloud Monitor, I had no visibility into what students were storing in our Google Drive. I didn’t even know what I didn’t know. Now, we can catch risks—from self-harm concerns to hackers taking over accounts—and address issues quickly before they become bigger problems.”
—Kyle Pezzolla, IT Manager, Windsor Schools
Other challenges included students using Google Docs as chat rooms and bypassing their web filtering by using VPNs to access restricted sites.
“Of course, they found a way around it,” Kyle says. “I came across a Google Doc that students were using as a chat tool, and that’s when I knew we needed a solution that could monitor Drive in real time.”
Self-harm and suicide red flags are a major focus for the school’s staff. “We sometimes see students writing letters to themselves about self-harm,” explains Kyle. “I wanted to make sure we had a way to catch these risks early and get the right people involved.”
Results
With Cloud Monitor, Windsor Schools now has automated alerts for cybersecurity threats, policy violations, and student safety risks, enabling immediate intervention when necessary.
Cloud Monitor has helped prevent several cybersecurity incidents. Kyle recalls an incident where a compromised staff account attempted to log in from another country. “Because of Cloud Monitor, the account was automatically suspended in the middle of the night, preventing a serious security risk.”
He can also easily find and remediate data loss risks by monitoring files containing personally identifiable information (PII) being shared outside the school’s domain.
“Content Filter gives us a layer of visibility that we didn’t have before with just our firewall and Google’s filtering. Now, we can see students’ Google searches, which has helped us identify potential self-harm risks early and make sure they get the support they need.”
—Kyle Pezzolla, IT Manager, Windsor Schools
When ManagedMethods introduced Content Filter, Windsor Schools expanded its security strategy by implementing the new product. “Even though we already had a firewall, Content Filter gives us better visibility and control, especially around Google searches,” Kyle says. “It also helps stop students from using VPNs to get around filtering, which is a huge advantage.”
Student safety monitoring has also significantly improved. Kyle no longer has to check for student safety alerts manually—the school’s behavioral support staff are automatically notified. He has set up role-based access in Cloud Monitor and Content Filter, so they receive alerts in real time when a student safety concern is detected.
“When an alert happens—whether it’s self-harm, bullying, or something else—they get an email alert with a direct link to the flagged content. They can click through, see exactly what was written by who, and address the situation immediately,” Kyle explains. “That way, the right people step in right away to provide our students with help and resources.”
Beyond security and safety, Kyle appreciates how intuitive and affordable ManagedMethods’ products are. “If you can help even just one kid, it’s absolutely worth the cost. For the visibility and safety they provide, it’s worth the investment. The company doesn’t have that pushy, salesy feeling like a lot of other vendors do. You can tell they really care about supporting schools,” he says.
With Cloud Monitor and Content Filter, Windsor Schools has transformed its cybersecurity and student safety strategy, ensuring a safer, more secure learning environment for its students—all while staying within budget. School continues to provide a secure and supportive digital learning experience where its students can thrive.
Want to learn more about how Cloud Monitor could improve your school’s cybersecurity? Claim your free Google Workspace and/or Microsoft 365 security and safety audit today.
The post Windsor Schools’ Proactive Approach to Cybersecurity and Student Safety appeared first on ManagedMethods Cybersecurity, Safety & Compliance for K-12.
*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from ManagedMethods Cybersecurity, Safety & Compliance for K-12 authored by Katie Fritchen. Read the original post at: https://managedmethods.com/blog/customer-story-k12-windsor-schools-nj/
