The Burnaby School District is actively investigating a cyber incident that came to our attention on Monday September 21. District staff are working diligently to complete the investigation and restore remaining affected operations as soon as possible.ĚýĚý

We understand that this news has been concerning. Protecting the personal information of the Burnaby Schools community is extremely important to us, and we sincerely regret that this incident has occurred.

What Has Occurred

Our investigation confirmed that an unauthorized party had gained access to the Burnaby School District’s systems.

Upon discovering the cybersecurity incident on September 21, 2026, we immediately took steps to contain it, engaged cybersecurity specialists to assist with our investigation and response efforts, and notified the appropriate authorities.

During this ransomware attack, an unauthorized third party gained access to certain files through District systems. While we acted quickly to respond to and contain the incident, some information and records were placed at risk. Although we are still in the process of completing our investigation, we confirmed that files containing personal information were copied and stolen by the criminal actors responsible for the attack. Due to this incident, some staff and student information was placed at risk. Files containing information about some former employees were among those that were affected. The District is contacting former staff directly.

We have recently received reports that the threat actor claims to have published files and information from this incident on the dark web. We have reason to believe that some files taken from the school district may have been included. We have engaged an external expert to help confirm whether this is the case and, if so, the nature and extent of any affected information.

Affected Information

The Burnaby School District recognizes that personal information relating to children and youth requires particular care. Fortunately, the impact on students, parents, and guardians was limited and most of the sensitive information maintained by the District about students, parents, and guardians remains secure.

Affected information may have included:

• General information about students, parents, or guardians for 2024 and 2026, such as the parent’s, guardian’s, and student’s names, contact information, the student’s Personal Education Number, date of birth, the grade, school, and, if applicable, Ministry designation (code and brief description);
• Student registration information for students who enrolled in either 2024 or 2026, which would include completed registration forms and supporting documentation provided to establish residency. For example, in order to establish residency, families may submit documentation for citizenship, permanent resident documents, visas, or confirmation of residency through submission of identification, leases, or utility bills;
• Kindergarten assessment notes and projections for the period of 2021-2025, which includes information about student readiness for kindergarten and notes about the student’s needs and complexities; and
• Lists of students receiving specialized learning assistance or supports, together with a brief description of the support, (in some cases) diagnosis and/or nature and degree of student needs and complexities.

In a limited and smaller number of cases the following information has been affected: some bus routing information, student intervention records and other student assessments.

Our Response

The Burnaby School District has reported this matter to the Burnaby RCMP and to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for BC. We are also continuing to investigate and to evaluate and improve our system security wherever possible to avoid any further incidents.

We have taken and will continue to take steps to keep affected individuals informed about this incident, and ways that they can protect themselves and their privacy.

This incident initially impacted some of our systems and operations, including internal network services and phone lines. Phone service was restored at all schools and across District sites on September 28 and access to MyEducation, including the family portal, was restored on October 1. Throughout, staff have worked hard across Burnaby Schools to ensure there has been no disruption to student learning.

Supporting Students, Families, and Staff

As an added precaution, on October 14 we offered students registration with TransUnion’s Fraud Alert Database. This does not mean that all students have a high risk associated with their information. Rather, this was offered in an abundance of caution and to support all families. Upon registration, the service will alert participating creditors to potential fraud involving registered students so that they can take additional steps to verify the applicant’s identity before extending credit.

TransUnion’s services were offered to all staff, following notice provided to them on October 1. Staff were informed that, while specific information potentially involved varies by individual, information contained in personnel records had been placed at risk. Where former staff have been impacted, in their notification, the District has also offered them TransUnion’s services.

Out of an abundance of caution, and as a matter of best practices, the District continues to encourage the Burnaby Schools community to remain vigilant and exercise caution in the event of any suspicious communications, including requests for personal information, unexpected emails, text messages, or phone calls.

Our Commitment

Direct communications are being regularly shared with families, staff, and District partners.

We understand that incidents of this nature are concerning and we remain committed to keeping the Burnaby Schools community updated throughout this process, as the investigation proceeds and additional information becomes available.

We remain appreciative for the understanding and patience shown across the District throughout this incident.

Additional Information

Answers to commonly asked questions can be found in the following document:

Frequently Asked Questions – Burnaby Schools Cyber Incident

Updated November 3 and Originally Posted September 23, 2026

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The following information was shared by the Fraser Health Authority with all school communities in their region. It contains information for parents and guardians regarding health and well-being considerations and what families can do in relation to the shift to permanent daylight saving time, or Pacific Time (PCT), in British Columbia.

Travel to and From School: Health and Well-being Considerations

During winter months, some students who walk, bike or take transit may travel in lower-light conditions. Taking steps to improve visibility and road safety can help support safer travel to school. However, students will benefit from more daylight during after-school travel and extracurricular activities.

• Help children choose well-lit routes with sidewalks and designated crossings.
• Encourage children to wear reflective or high-visibility clothing and use a flashlight when travelling during darker morning hours.
• Remind children to use designated crossings, scan traffic, and make sure vehicles have stopped before crossing.
• Drivers should use extra caution when driving near schools, crosswalks, intersections and shared pathways, be aware of one’s surroundings and refrain from cell phone use, make eye contact, and shoulder check before turning or changing direction, travel at slow speeds and stop completely at stop signs and crosswalks.
• Permanent daylight saving time will provide an extra hour of daylight in the afternoon, creating additional opportunities for outdoor activity, recreation and social connection.

What Families Can Do: Supporting Well-being and Healthy Sleep

Many of us will start our mornings with darker skies. Reduced morning light can affect sleep, alertness and mood, particularly among adolescents, whose biological clocks naturally favour later sleep and wake times.

To support sleep and well-being:

• Spend time outdoors during daylight hours whenever possible.
• Encourage physical activity and social connection through after-school programs and activities.
• Maintain consistent bedtimes and wake-up times.
• Turn off screens at least one hour before bedtime, as evening screen use can make it harder to fall asleep.

Encouraging healthy sleep habits, such as maintaining consistent bedtimes and wake-up times, will remain important to support learning, mental well-being, and healthy development.

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From school-yard pumpkin patches to art and even student-led haunted houses, there are many examples throughout Burnaby Schools of children of all ages enjoying the spirit of the season.

Costume days, pumpkin carving contests and theme weeks are among the opportunities Halloween provides to come together as a community. Several Parent Advisory Councils organized pumpkin patches at elementary schools. Leadership students at Alpha Secondary led a spooky art activity at nearby Brentwood Park Elementary.

To assist with keeping the fun in Halloween, this District resourceĚýprovides some guidance for how to be creative without causing unintentional harm.

Scroll down to see more photos of Halloween activities in Burnaby Schools.

Posted October 2026

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The District released its first plan in 2023 in accordance with the .

Superintendent Karim Hachlaf introduced the renewed plan to the Ģą˝ĘÓƵ at their last public meeting. He highlighted that the updated plan reflects feedback from individuals with lived and living experience of disability.

“This builds on the work of the first plan and, equally critical, builds on consultation with students, staff, families and community partners.”

The three-year Accessibility Plan (2026-2029) focuses on three priorities: understanding accessibility together, accessible learning and working environments, and inclusive employment and organizational practices.

Director of Instruction Kelly Chow provided an overview of the updated plan to the Board, grounding it upon what comes next.

“Accessibility is an ongoing journey. This plan does not represent the end of our work, rather it provides a framework that will guide our actions and decision making over the next three years.”

Through ongoing feedback, monitoring, and collaboration, the District remains committed to identifying, preventing, and reducing barriers while fostering inclusive and accessible learning and working environments for all.

The new plan can be found through the following link:

Burnaby School District Accessibility Plan 2026-2029

To learn more about our commitment, find ways to provide feedback on the plan, or share accessibility experiences in the District, click on the following link:

Accessibility in Burnaby Schools

Read More About Accessibility in Burnaby Schools

Celebrating Shared Belonging and Inclusion – May 2026
Students Showcase Accessibility Learning – March 2026
First Burnaby Schools Unified Soccer League Launched – January 2026
– Freshet News, January 2026
Honouring Deaf Identity Through Connection and Culture – September 2025
BCSD Receives Proclamation Celebrating Deaf People – September 2025
Ģą˝ĘÓƵ for Accessibility and Inclusion – June 2025
AccessAbility Contest Win: Student Designs – June 2025
District Hosts Record-Breaking Provincial Event – May 2025
Empowering Education: Learning About Accessibility – May 2025
More than Words: Connection and Story – February 2025
Deaf Awareness Flags Flown for First Time at Schools – October 2024
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Showcase Draws Record Numbers – May 2024
Forward Together: AccessAbility Week – May 2024
Burnaby School District Accessibility Plan 2023-2026
Breaking Down Barriers: New Plan Toward Greater Accessibility – December 2023
Student Presenters Shine: Many Earn Top Honours – April 2023
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Pride Showcased at Event – April 2022
Students and Staff Shine: Awards and Competitions – July 2021
Deafblind Student Publishes Book Accessible for All Children – January 2021
Student’s Personal Quest Before Losing Sight Leads to School First – June 2019
Inspiring Academy Award Winning Actress Visits Burnaby School – March 2019

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Posted October 2026

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At the start of the school year, students at Maples School Program were introduced to a new friend joining the class: a puppy named Mr. Ruggles.

Burnaby Schools leads the education for students in the Maples Adolescent Centre, which is a designated provincial Mental Health Facility that supports children and youth aged 7 to 18.

Maples School Program is located in the Maples Adolescent Treatment Centre Healing Spirit House.

Beth Applewhite is the District Principal with responsibility for the Maples program.

Students at Maples have complex lives and we wanted to find a creative way to make school a place they want to be. We already observed that our school tortoise, Michaelangelo, was a draw in the science room. When I approached the Maples facility, the staff were very excited about the idea of bringing in a dog.”

Mr. Ruggles is already helping school staff connect with children and youth, creating new opportunities to support students.

When he’s not at the program, the school-funded puppy lives full time with Maples teacher Jennifer Bisset.

She says it is an honour to be on the other side of the leash with Mr. Ruggles and see the impact he is making with this important work.

“The biggest shift that I’ve noticed is that Mr. Ruggles brings smiles to everybody. It doesn’t matter what kind of mood students are coming to school with, they immediately relax their shoulders, their sense of playfulness comes out, and it helps set the tone for learning. The students are more drawn to attend because Mr. Ruggles provides the missing link between getting out of bed and getting to school because they know they’ll be able to see him.”

Bisset says she has also noticed that Mr. Ruggles’ presence helps teachers and staff at the facility by supporting them to be in a great emotional space to best support the students.

As the smallest team member, Mr. Ruggles is already making a big difference by helping to foster connections with students, build community, and providing an additional avenue for engagement in learning and school life.

Posted October 2026

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Progress over the first year of the Burnaby School District’s five-year Strategic Plan was shared with the Ģą˝ĘÓƵ at the first public meeting for this school year.

At the meeting, Superintendent Karim Hachlaf shared several highlights from this year’s How We’re Doing Report including work related to excellence in teaching core subjects.

“We are very pleased to have launched two key frameworks related to literacy and numeracy. That work is only going to intensify as we look ahead to year two, with dedicated staff and resources to continue to provide supports from early learning right through the secondary years.”

In addition to accomplishments connected to innovating in teaching and learning, the latest How We’re Doing ReportĚýincludes highlights in achievements toward supporting all learners, nurturing mental health and well-being, deepening equity, diversity and inclusion, the path to Reconciliation, fostering healthy learning communities, and more. It is the first report on the new Strategic Plan.

At the Board Meeting, in response to an additional highlight provided by Superintendent Hachlaf regarding more than 200 families being connected by with resources to address food insecurity, Board Chair Kristin Schnider spoke about the importance of the work.

“It is through schools that we are able to make those incredibly important connections through settlement supports, which is why this Board has done a lot of advocacy to local Members of Parliament to ensure that federal funding for settlement supports in schools continue.”

The full How We’re Doing report reflects system-wide work to engage, educate, and empower learners while recognizing that schools are critical places for the whole community.

Annually, the District publicly releases the How We’re Doing Report looking back over the prior school year at accomplishments toward the Ģą˝ĘÓƵ’s priorities, as outlined in the Strategic Plan. The priorities guide system-wide work happening across the District.

See the latest How We’re Doing Report here.

Learn More About the Strategic Plan

Strategic Plan 2025-2030

Five-year Plan Guides the District

New Plan to Guide the District’s Work

Values at Burnaby Schools

See Previous How We’re Doing Reports

How We’re Doing: Strategic Plan 2024-25 Highlights & Accomplishments

How We’re Doing: Strategic Plan 2023-24 Highlights & Accomplishments

How We’re Doing: Strategic Plan 2022-23 Highlights & Accomplishments

How We’re Doing: Strategic Plan 2021-22 Highlights & Accomplishments

How We’re Doing: Strategic Plan 2020-21 Highlights & Accomplishments

How We’re Doing: Strategic Plan 2019-20 Highlights & Accomplishments

Click on the graphic below to see the latest How We’re Doing report.

Posted October 2026

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Several schools held assemblies, such as the student-led gathering at Byrne Creek Community School that included a band performance and student speakers.

Youth contributed to a school-wide collaborative weaving project at Burnaby Central Secondary to honour Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Before participating, students learned about the rich history of Coast Salish weaving. The Weaving Wall will be permanently displayed outside of the school library as a symbol of hope and Reconciliation.

Burnaby Mountain Secondary hosted Elders Sam George Jr. and Les George from the Tsleil-Waututh Nation. The Elders were welcomed into the school, following local and District protocols, to share their stories with approximately 500 students.

School-wide learning activities at Burnaby Mountain included a classroom resource guide. Several youth participated in a presentation about learning from the land. Many students were involved in Project Heart, where they created art tiles using symbols, words, or images representing remembrance, hope, or a commitment to action.

Children at Brantford Elementary and Gilmore Community School are among those who wrote sentiments and created art for Orange Shirt Day.

There are many Indigenous learning opportunities throughout the year. Among the activities at the start of school year at the Grade 8 retreat at Alpha Secondary was an Indigenous Education Amazing Race. Stations included a pemmican taste and learn table, blanket toss, and a chance to try lacrosse. Students created story stones, learned about oral Indigenous storytelling traditions, the Coast Salish Anthem, and explored an Indigenous plant match station.

Posted October 2026

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From leadership students helping incoming peers feel at home to orientations for international students, community-building events, athletic tryouts, and school spirit activities, schools have been focused on a strong start and sense of belonging, which supports learning.

Leadership students, including those from Burnaby North and Alpha Secondary, gathered in the final days of summer break to help peers get settled, call incoming Grade 8s, and plan events. Students who are part of the International Education program were greeted and supported at special orientations across the District.

The Class of 2039 was welcomed by schools, such as Lakeview Elementary, as they started Kindergarten this month. At the other end of their school experience, many youth in this year’s grad class are taking time to honour the moments of their final year of public school, such as this “last first day” at Burnaby North for Grade 12s.

The new school year began with gatherings and welcomes, such as these at Kitchener and Brentwood Park Elementary. At Confederation Park Elementary, children played during an afternoon of community building that was supported by the City of Burnaby’s Parks and Recreation department.

Student athletes jumped right into fall sports, including at Moscrop and Burnaby South Secondary, with many high school team tryouts beginning the first week of school. Competition is already underway for several teams.

At Cariboo Hill and Alpha Secondary, student leaders organized an event for Grade 8s to help them build school connection and meet their peers through games and activities. At Byrne Creek Community School, Student Government organized a school Spirit Week, including Jersey and Twin Days, setting the tone for the year ahead.

Posted September 2026

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