Tennessee school district shares how Cloud Monitor changes the game for phishing response and Google security

At Union County Public Schools in Maynardville, Tennessee, Technology Director Jonathan Smith oversees all things IT across the district. Like many K12 tech leaders, he manages a relatively small team and wears many hats. 

The district, which serves about 2,000 students and 450 faculty and staff, relies on Google Workspace Fundamentals for its day-to-day operations, data storage, communications, and instruction. 

“When a phishing attack happens, you have to be really quick. Cloud Monitor makes it easy to identify and isolate the problem right away by putting all the necessary information right in front of your face so you can respond much faster.”

— Jonathan Smith, Technology Director, Union County Public Schools

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to adapt to remote learning, Jonathan saw firsthand how quickly technology priorities could shift. “Before COVID, we had emails turned off for students,” he recalls. “Once they went home, we needed a way to enable communication between teachers and students, and even student to student, in a safe and secure way. ManagedMethods helped make that possible.”

Challenges

Before implementing Cloud Monitor, Jonathan’s biggest challenge was visibility. While GoGuardian handled filtering and classroom tools effectively, it couldn’t provide insight into what was happening inside Google Drive. 

“GoGuardian is great for browser monitoring,” he explains, “but it doesn’t go as deep into Google Drive. That’s where Cloud Monitor comes in and helps us see what was going on within our Google Workspace domain.”

“GoGuardian is great for browser monitoring, but it doesn’t go as deep into Google Drive. That’s where Cloud Monitor comes in and helps us see what was going on within our Google Workspace domain.”

— Jonathan Smith, Technology Director, Union County Public Schools

Jonathan’s team had limited ways to detect inappropriate sharing or risky content stored in the district’s Google Drive and Shared Drives. Investigating issues often meant resetting passwords, then logging into the student’s account to review files—an inefficient and time-consuming process. 

“Through the Google Admin console, you can’t really see the big picture,” Jonathan says. “With Cloud Monitor, you’re able to get that view quickly without having to jump through all those hoops. It makes a huge difference, especially when time matters.”

“Through the Google Admin console, you can’t really see the big picture. With Cloud Monitor, you’re able to get that view quickly without having to jump through all those hoops. It makes a huge difference, especially when time matters.”

— Jonathan Smith, Technology Director, Union County Public Schools

The shift to remote learning also brought a growing need to monitor communication for safety concerns. “It wasn’t a big challenge until students went home,” Jonathan explains. “Once they did, we had to turn on more features and pay closer attention to how they were interacting. Cloud Monitor made that possible.”

Results

Since adopting Cloud Monitor, Union County Public Schools has gained a new level of visibility, efficiency, and peace of mind. Only two people, Jonathan and the district tech coach, actively use the platform, but its impact is widespread across the district. 

“Cloud Monitor is like having another person working for you. The platform gives us time back so we can focus on other things.”

— Jonathan Smith, Technology Director, Union County Public Schools

“Cloud Monitor is like having another person working for you,” Jonathan says. “It gives us time back so we can focus on other things.”

One incident that stands out to Jonathan involved a phishing email that slipped past the district’s filters and began spreading quickly. “We were able to see where it started and stop it before it got out of hand,” he recalls. With Cloud Monitor, his team could immediately pinpoint the source and isolate the affected accounts before the issue escalated. “It made the whole process so much easier. I honestly don’t know how we would’ve done that without it,” he says.

The experience underscored just how critical Cloud Monitor has become to their operations. “If we ever lost access to it, that would be a huge game changer for us,” Jonathan explains. “You have to be really quick when something like a phishing attack happens, and having all that information right in front of your face makes your response so much faster.”

“Once you know that something is monitoring Google Drive 24/7 and will proactively alert you to issues, it takes a load off your shoulders because you know you’re protecting your students. Cloud Monitor is something I think every school district should have.”

— Jonathan Smith, Technology Director, Union County Public Schools

Beyond phishing prevention, the district also relies on Cloud Monitor to investigate suspicious logins and email activity. “Being able to see who opened an email, when it was sent, and where the last login happened is huge,” Jonathan adds. “It gives us the visibility we need to act fast and keep our students and data safe.”

For Jonathan, one of Cloud Monitor’s most valuable strengths is its ease of use. “Cloud Monitor’s user-friendliness is a big thing for us,” he shares. “Beyond that, working with the team at ManagedMethods has always been a great experience. They work with us and proactively reach out and ask if we need help.”

Jonathan also appreciates the reliability and peace of mind that Cloud Monitor provides. “Once you know that something is monitoring Google Drive 24/7 and will proactively alert you to issues, it takes a load off your shoulders because you know you’re protecting your students. It’s something I think every school district should have.”

When asked if the investment has been worthwhile, Jonathan doesn’t hesitate. “I don’t see how a school district could go without having some type of cloud monitoring,” he says. “Technology is always changing, and Cloud Monitor is one of those tools you keep to protect your students and your data.”

Want to learn more about improving your district’s cybersecurity, student safety, and classroom engagement?

Get started with your free Google Workspace and/or Microsoft 365 security and safety audit today.

The post How Union County Public Schools Saves Time & Stops Threats Faster in Gmail and Google Drive 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-union-county-public-schools-tn/