Statement for Release
District 56 takes safety and security very seriously and conducts random and routine drug dog screenings periodically at both our middle and high schools. We had a routine screening today and nothing was found at Clinton Middle School. However, we do want to make you aware of an incident that occurred on the campus of Clinton High School. Duringthe screening of cars in the student parking lot, a loaded gun was found in a student's car. Once the weapon was discovered, our administration, school resource officer, and local police department reacted quickly to ensure everyone was safe. The weapon was never inside the building, and there was never a direct threat to our students or faculty. The district is cooperating with local law enforcement, and the student will be disciplined in accordance with our school board policy. As always, the safety of our students is top priority.
SUSPECT:
Incident at Clinton High School Leads to Arrest Clinton, SC – On January 15, 2025, law enforcement was alerted to an incident at Clinton High School involving a firearm and illegal substances discovered in a student’s vehicle. At approximately 10:10 AM the Clinton High School Assistant Principal contacted the School Resource Officer after a routine search of the student parking lot using a school contracted K-9 unit led to the discovery of a firearm and marijuana in a vehicle. Both the firearm and marijuana were found during a search of the unlocked vehicle, conducted by School Administrative Staff after the K-9 unit indicated a positive alert. Upon arrival at the scene, law enforcement officers were briefed by school officials. The firearm, which was loaded at the time of discovery, was secured and unloaded by a staff member before officers were notified. A subsequent investigation identified the vehicle as belonging to student Jalen Shands, 18.
Mr. Shands was escorted from his classroom to the parking lot by the Principal and the SRO. Mr. Shands was placed under arrest for possession of the firearm and marijuana. The firearm was later confirmed to have been reported stolen in North Carolina. Charges filed against Mr. Shands include: Simple possession of marijuana Possession of a firearm on school property Possession of a stolen firearm Mr. Shands was transported to the Johnson Detention Center following the arrest. A bond hearing for Shands will be held at the JDC on 1/16/2025. The safety of Clinton High School students and staff remains a top priority, and school officials are cooperating fully with law enforcement in this ongoing investigation.
Statement from Clinton Police “We are committed to maintaining a safe environment for all students and staff. We will continue to work closely with School District 56 staff to ensure incidents like this are handled swiftly and appropriately,” said Chief Michael Addison, Clinton Police Department.
January 15, 2025
Dear District 56 Families,
We are writing to make you aware of a recent cybersecurity incident involving PowerSchool, a software-vendor that provides our Student Information System (SIS). On Tuesday, January 7, 2025, PowerSchool informed our leadership team that they experienced a cybersecurity incident involving unauthorized access to certain PowerSchool SlS customer data.
Unfortunately, they have confirmed that some of our student data was compromised. However, due to a double encryption method used by District 56, the state does not believe that any student social security numbers were compromised. PowerSchool informed us that the taken data primarily includes parent and student contact information with data elements such as name and address information. They are working with urgency to complete their investigation and determine whether any personally identifiable information belonging to our students was included.
Protecting our students is something that we take very seriously. With the help of PowerSchool, more information and resources will be provided to you as they become available.
Thank you for your patience and understanding!
David C. O'Shields, Ph.D.
More about cybersecurity:
SC K-12 students among those compromised in data breach
BY: SKYLAR LAIRD - JANUARY 9, 2025 10:51 AM
WEST COLUMBIA — South Carolina students and teachers were among those who had their personal information accessed in an international data breach, according to the state Department of Education.
All but four districts had their data accessed, the department said in a Thursday news release. A district having its data accessed does not necessarily mean the data was stolen, and the department is continuing to assess exactly how many students were affected, it reads.
The four districts not affected are Edgefield, Greenville, and Horry counties and Richland 2 in Columbia’s northeast suburbs, according to the news release.
It’s unclear what kind of data might have been stolen. The release says only that “personally identifiable information was compromised.” No further information is available, a department spokesman said.
PowerSchool is used by districts for a variety of purposes, including tracking student attendance and grades, schedules and training. The cloud-based software giant, which provides systems for more than 45 million students around the world, contained the data breach and has been taking steps to secure its systems, consult with cybersecurity experts and report the incident to law enforcement, according to the news release.
“We have taken all appropriate steps to prevent the data involved from further unauthorized access or misuse,” a spokesperson for PowerSchool said in a statement. “The incident is contained and we do not anticipate the data being shared or made public.”
State Superintendent Ellen Weaver said she recognizes the anxiety caused by the breach.
“While PowerSchool has taken accountability for this breach, our department will take uncompromising action to ensure we uncover the complete extent of this incident,” she said in the Wednesday release. “We will insist that PowerSchool not only notify affected individuals but also provide them with credit and identity monitoring services.”
Department of Education officials have been keeping the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the Attorney General’s Office and the governor appraised of the situation, according to the release.
“The protection of our South Carolina students’ and educators’ personal data is non-negotiable,” Weaver said.
Editor’s note: This article was updated Thursday evening after the Department of Education identified the four districts unaffected.
Skylar Laird covers the South Carolina Legislature and criminal justice issues. Originally from Missouri, she previously worked for The Post and Courier’s Columbia bureau.
SC Daily Gazette is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
