Teachers across the district received an unexpected email just before the weekend on Dec. 5, with the subject line “Your next Starbucks visit is on us.”
Sent from noreply@starbucks-promotions.com, the message appeared legitimate and offered a $25 Starbucks gift card as a “token of appreciation” from the BOE.
When staff clicked on the link, however, they were redirected to a surprise: the email was a district-run cybersecurity test sent to all employees with active district email accounts.
Although the email appeared to be signed by the BOE, board members were not informed before the email went out. “The BOE was not involved in the recent phishing-awareness email and did not authorize the use of its name in that communication,” BOE President Robert Benacchio told Hi’s Eye, adding that the BOE nonetheless supports the district’s continuous cybersecurity education efforts.
The test was orchestrated by District Chief Technology Officer Brian Auker to prepare staff for the future of AI cyberattacks. “With the rapid advancement of AI-driven phishing — which can closely mimic real communication styles and organizational formats — routine testing is more important than ever to help staff identify subtle warning signs,” he said.
For many teachers, the test struck a nerve. Disguised as a holiday gift and lacking the usual red external sender warning, the email appeared to come from within the district. Several staff members said the false promise of a gift card during a stressful and costly time of year felt insulting, misleading and demoralizing.
“It seemed a cruel and mean attempt to trick teachers in a way that feeds an atmosphere of mistrust between staff and administration,” one teacher said.
“New teachers might fall for it, but those of us who’ve been around know the BOE would never give us a Christmas gift. That’s the state of education today,” another added. “While I respect the intention and the necessity for cybersecurity, the timing, wording and framing of the message were upsetting and did nothing to improve the morale of staff.”
Not all staff viewed the test negatively. Chemistry Teacher Dr. Louis Casagrande explained, “Much of my generation isn’t too tech savvy, so it’s the district’s obligation to ensure we’re not clicking on anything malicious.”
Auker emphasized that the email was intended to strengthen staff readiness, not cause frustration. “We appreciate the significant demands placed on teachers,” he said. “We will use this feedback to better plan the timing of future tests to be as minimally disruptive as possible.”