Replacing Manual Processes with Automated Controls Saves Time While Enhancing Security and Safety
Newcomerstown Exempted Village School District in Ohio is committed to ensuring a safe and secure digital learning environment for its students and staff.
As a primarily Google Workspace for Education district, Shawn Dakin, the district’s Director of Technology, recognized the need for a comprehensive cybersecurity and student safety solution.
To address these concerns, he turned to ManagedMethods’ Cloud Monitor to gain visibility and control over cybersecurity threats, student safety risks, and compliance issues.
“We had very limited visibility into what was happening in our Google Workspace environment. Cloud Monitor gives us a single pane of glass to see everything in one place, making it far easier to track and respond to cybersecurity threats and student safety risks.”
—Shawn Dakin, Director of Technology, Newcomerstown Exempted Village School District
“When I first came across ManagedMethods at a tradeshow, I thought I didn’t need it. But then I checked out the Cloud Monitor demo in their booth and realized how powerful a tool it is,” Shawn recalls. “I thought it was really slick. It isn’t as convoluted as Admin console.”
Challenges
Newcomerstown has always been a security-minded district and was forward-thinking in implementing two-factor authentication (2FA) early on.
“We pride ourselves on being proactive about cybersecurity,” Shawn shares. “But even with strong authentication measures in place, we needed more visibility into what was happening inside Google Workspace. We knew there were risks, but we didn’t have the tools to properly monitor, detect, and address them.”
Shawn was concerned about his district’s cybersecurity, data loss prevention, and student safety in Google. “We needed to protect student safety and sensitive data, prevent phishing in Gmail and Google Docs, and detect unauthorized access,” Shawn explains. “Keeping our district secure while maintaining compliance was a top priority.”
“Before Cloud Monitor, we had to manually check audit logs, search for keywords, and dig through reports—Now, instead of spending hours in Google Admin console, we get real-time alerts and actionable insights that save us time and effort.”
—Shawn Dakin, Director of Technology, Newcomerstown Exempted Village School District
Newcomerstown operates with a small, two-person IT team, which made managing these security challenges even more difficult. “With a small team, we simply didn’t have the bandwidth to monitor everything manually,” Shawn says. “We needed a solution that could automate these processes and help us stay ahead of potential risks.”
Before Cloud Monitor, they relied on the Google Admin console to manage security, which was time-consuming and inefficient. “We had to manually check audit logs, search for keywords, and dig through reports to try and spot potential issues,” Shawn recalls. “It took up a lot of time and still left us feeling like we were missing things.”
Even with the upgraded version of Google for Education, Shawn’s team found it challenging to manage everything effectively. “While Google’s tools offer some level of security and monitoring, they require a lot of manual effort and toggling between different interfaces,” Shawn explains. “Cloud Monitor gives us a single pane of glass to see everything in one place, making it far easier to track and respond to security threats and student safety risks.”
Results
Since implementing Cloud Monitor, Shawn has experienced a significant improvement in his ability to protect students and secure the district’s Google Workspace environment. “It gives us peace of mind knowing that we have automated controls in our system 24/7,” Shawn shares. “The alerts and insights allow us to take immediate action when a potential risk is detected.”
Cloud Monitor’s automated scanning and alerting have been instrumental in identifying student safety concerns. “We’ve been able to catch instances of self-harm and intervene quickly to get students the help they need,” Shawn notes. “That alone makes Cloud Monitor worth it.”
“We had a few students who were getting around GoGuardian, and we couldn’t figure out how they were doing it. ManagedMethods’ support team helped me configure a Cloud Monitor policy that detected them using a JSON file to modify their Chromebook OS to get around it. That was a pretty cool and unexpected benefit.”
—Shawn Dakin, Director of Technology, Newcomerstown Exempted Village School District
Cloud Monitor also alerts him to issues with students and staff using their district credentials to sign up for third-party apps. It even alerted him to students using JSON files to get around their GoGuardian web filter.
“We had a few students who were getting around GoGuardian, and I couldn’t figure out how they were doing it. I’d worked with GoGuardian’s support team, but they didn’t know how they were doing it either. ManagedMethods’ support team helped me configure a Cloud Monitor policy that detected them using a JSON file to modify their Chromebook OS to get around it. That was a pretty cool and unexpected benefit.”
He adds, “Sharp kids. I was pretty impressed when I saw what they were doing. They’re learning something. It’s just not what I want them to learn right now.”
From a cybersecurity perspective, Cloud Monitor helps the tech team mitigate risks related to phishing and data security. “It’s a game-changer,” Shawn says. “We’re able to monitor for unusual activity, improper data sharing, and potential breaches before they become major issues.”
Importantly, the difference in efficiency has been substantial. “Instead of spending hours combing through audit logs, we get real-time alerts and actionable insights,” Shawn explains. “Cloud Monitor simplifies things, making addressing cybersecurity and safety concerns faster and easier.”
Shawn has also set up automated reports from Cloud Monitor to send directly to the superintendent. “It’s great that our superintendent gets these reports without us having to compile them manually,” Shawn says. “It keeps leadership informed and reinforces the importance of cybersecurity at every level of the district.”
By partnering with ManagedMethods, Newcomerstown Exempted Village School District has strengthened its approach to cybersecurity and student safety.
“Cloud Monitor gives us the visibility and control we were missing. It’s an invaluable tool that is at the top of my list of tools we can’t get rid of,” Shawn concludes. “For any district that wants to take a proactive stance in protecting its students and data.”
Want to learn more about how Cloud Monitor and Content Filter can improve your school’s cybersecurity and safety? Claim your free Google Workspace and/or Microsoft 365 security and safety audit today.
