Macon County Schools

State Superintendent Mo Green has released information regarding ongoing develpments in the PowerSchool SIS Data Breach. Please click the link below to view Superintendent Green's message. https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/NCSBE/bulletins/3df5e3f In addition, Macon County Schools Superintendent Josh Lynch has released the following: Dear Macon County Schools, We want to keep you informed of a recent update related to the PowerSchool data breach that occurred in late 2024 and was reported in January of this year. This morning, several school and North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) employees across the state received messages from threat actors claiming to possess data from that breach. We have been informed that several Canadian school districts have received similar messages as well. Based on the current status of our investigation, we believe that the threat actors have access to the same data tables that were originally compromised. These data tables include student and staff names, contact information, social security numbers (limited student social security numbers), birthdays, medical notes, passwords (limited) and parent/guardian information. NCDPI has already notified appropriate law enforcement agencies, who are actively investigating this incident. IMMEDIATE ACTIONS REQUIRED IF YOU RECEIVE CONTACT FROM THREAT ACTORS: If you or anyone in your district received this message: ● Do not open any links embedded in suspicious messages. ● Do not reply or engage with the threat actors. State law prohibits interaction with these individuals (N.C.G.S. 143-800). ● If you received such a message, please report it immediately to Tim Burrell, Director of Technology at tim.burrell@macon.k12.nc.us, and NCDPI’s Cybersecurity Team. IMPORTANT REMINDER: PowerSchool has taken full responsibility for this data breach. There was nothing that NCDPI or any North Carolina public schools could have done to prevent this incident. Support Services Available: We understand that this is a concerning update in the PowerSchool SIS data breach incident, and we are committed to ensuring that Macon County Schools staff is fully informed of the robust support services in place to help protect your personal information. ● PowerSchool has extended their contract with Experian to offer identity protection and credit monitoring services through July 1, 2025 for all affected students and educators, however NCDPI is advocating for a significantly longer enrollment window so that all impacted users have enough time to enroll in the protection services provided by PowerSchool. ● Affected individuals can enroll in identity protection and credit monitoring at no cost to themselves here. Services include: ○ Two years of complimentary identity protection for all students and educators affected ○ Two years of complimentary credit monitoring for all adult students and educators affected ● These services are available regardless of whether an individual's Social Security number was compromised. ● Additional protection: Impacted users can freeze their identity for free through the North Carolina Department of Justice. As we continue to work through this incident, we are committed to supporting you, as well as our students and families with care and transparency. Thank you for your continued commitment to our students and communities. Sincerely, Josh Lynch Superintendent

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! To all our incredible educators — THANK YOU! Thank you for your passion, your patience, and your endless dedication. You inspire, guide, and shape the future every single day. You’ve sparked dreams, and made countless students feel seen and valued. For the big lessons and quiet encouragement. For shaping not just minds, but confidence and resilience. This week, and always, we honor you! Thank you-deeply, sincerely, and always!

Happy National School Lunch Hero Day! Today, we celebrate the incredible heroes behind the scenes — our School Nutrition Team! From early mornings to busy lunch hours, they work tirelessly to fuel our students with healthy meals and warm smiles. Whether it’s preparing nutritious food, accommodating special diets, or creating a welcoming cafeteria environment, they do it all — and we are beyond grateful. Thank you to our school lunch heroes for your dedication, care, and the love you put into every meal. You make a difference every single day!

Happy National School Principals Day! Today we celebrate the incredible leaders at the heart of our schools — our principals! From guiding students and supporting teachers to creating a safe and inspiring learning environment, principals do it all with passion and dedication. We are so thankful for everything you do to help our schools thrive. Your hard work, leadership, and commitment make a lasting impact every single day. Thank you, principals — today and every day, we appreciate you!

The Macon County Board of Education will hold their Regular Scheduled Meeting on Monday, May 19, 2025 beginning at 6:00 pm at Macon Early College, located at 77 Siler Farm Road, Franklin, NC. The meeting will be live-streamed and can be accessed by visiting www.macon.k12.nc.us

MCS April 28th, 2025 Board Meeting Live Stream (Live stream begins at 6:00 PM) Click the link below to access the live stream. https://vimeo.com/event/5096349

Reminder! There will be NO SCHOOL this Friday , April 18 in observance of Good Friday. On Monday, April 21, there will be a Teacher Workday — no classes for students. Students will return to school on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. Enjoy the long weekend!

Happy National Assistant Principal Week! Shoutout to the unsung heroes who lead with passion, dedication, and a commitment to student success! Our Assistant Principals are the heart of our schools, guiding, mentoring, and creating a positive environment for both staff and students. To all the assistant principals who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make our schools thrive—THANK YOU! 💙

Macon County VAYA Parent Night - April 8th at 5:30. For more information, please contact Meghan Mileti meghan.mileti@macon.k12.nc.us

The Macon County Board of Education will hold their Regular Scheduled Meeting on Monday, April 28, 2025 beginning at 6:00 pm at Iotla Valley Elementary School, located at 1166 Iotla Church Road, Franklin, NC. The meeting will be live-streamed and can be accessed by visiting www.macon.k12.nc.us

🌸 Spring Break Reminder! 🌸 Attention, parents and students! Just a quick reminder that Spring Break is almost here! Spring Break: March 31 - April 4 Students and staff will be on break, and classes will resume on April 7. Enjoy the break and take some time to relax and recharge! See you in April! 🌞

Wishing our FHS HOSA Chapter the best as they compete at the State Leadership Conference in Greensboro, NC this week!

MCS March 24th, 2025 Board Meeting Live Stream Live stream begins at 6:00pm. Click the link below to access the live stream: https://vimeo.com/event/5015907

Coming Soon! EC Parent Information Night

Reminder: Tomorrow, Friday, March 7, is a Teacher Workday for Franklin area schools, Highlands School & Nantahala School. Students will return to class on Monday, March 10th. Enjoy the long weekend!

The next meeting of the Macon County Board of Education and the Macon County Board of County Commissioners Joint Liaison Committee will be held on Thursday, March 13, 2025, 9:00 a.m. in the board room of the Macon County Schools Administrative Offices, located at 1202 Old Murphy Road, Franklin. Discussion will include ongoing projects throughout the Macon County School System, potential projects throughout the Macon County School System and other business as necessary.

The Macon County Board of Education will hold their Regular Scheduled Meeting on Monday, March 24, 2025 beginning at 6:00 pm at Highlands School, located at 545 Pierson Drive, Highlands, NC. The meeting will be live-streamed and can be accessed by visiting www.macon.k12.nc.us

March is School Social Worker Month! This month, we want to take a moment to show our heartfelt gratitude to our amazing school social worker- Mrs. Annie Breedlove Wishon. Her unwavering support, care, and dedication make a world of difference for our students, helping them navigate challenges and thrive in school and life. Thank you Annie for all that you do! We are beyond grateful for you!

Reminder: Early Dismissal this Wednesday! Students will be dismissed at 11:30 AM this Wednesday, February 26, 2025. Following student dismissal, our staff will be participating in a Staff Development afternoon to continue growing and improving for our school community.

Due to freezing temperatures and the possiblity for black ice, Macon County Schools-Franklin area will operate on a 3-hour delay tomorrow, Thursday, February 20, with no buses on icy roads. Road conditions will be closely monitored and if a remote learning day is needed, additional updates will be released.