Byram Hills to add 24/7 security monitoring; technology director flags state phone policy uncertainty

Kevin Guidotti, the district—9s technology presenter, told the board on March 11 that the 2025—26 budget includes a restructured approach to cybersecurity that adds continuous monitoring without increasing the overall BOCES technology line item.

"Show me your budget and I'll show you your values," Kevin said, framing the technology priorities. He described a shift from a locally monitored physical device to a vertical team at Lyric (Lower Hudson Regional Information Center) that will provide a security operations center (SOC) with 24-by-7, 365-day network monitoring.

Kevin said the change is implemented by reallocating existing spending and discontinuing certain local services tied to the physical device; the district expects a faster response time because Lyric now handles monitoring and, when necessary, response actions directly. "We now, reflected in this budget, will have 24 by 7, 365 days a year monitoring of our network," he said.

On printing and student access, Kevin said equipment spending is being held flat but the district expects a modest rise in printing costs tied to a new print-access system aimed at making student printing easier at middle and high schools. He said the district will also look at standardizing printers and cartridges to manage replacement cycles more efficiently.

Kevin and board members discussed proposed New York State guidance and funding related to restricting personal device use in schools. He said the governor has made funding available but it is limited: "Unfortunately, the governor's allocated only 13.1 or so million dollars across the state to help support that," he said. Kevin explained the proposed legislation would bar "unsanctioned use of Internet enabled personal devices," but that the term "unsanctioned" is unclear and may leave districts to interpret whether existing Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programs qualify as "sanctioned."

The board and staff discussed policy and operational implications: if the final language bans high school personal devices during the school day, the district might need to supply devices such as Chromebooks to students to maintain instructional access. Kevin said the district has some reserve devices and can also pursue installment agreements or other purchasing strategies if the policy obliges the district to provide student devices at scale.

Kevin also noted a pending security rollout: the district has implemented multi-factor authentication for staff and plans to extend it to student accounts. He warned that a strict phone ban could complicate multi-factor approaches that often rely on personal devices.

Why it matters: the SOC arrangement changes how the district responds to cybersecurity threats and aims to provide continuous coverage at no net increase in the BOCES line through reallocation. Proposed state policy on student devices could require material changes to district device inventories and operational practices.

Next steps: the board will consider technology budget details and follow state legislative developments about device restrictions and funding.