Western Reserve Academy Balances Security and Privacy in Google Workspace and Microsoft 365

Western Reserve Academy is an independent boarding and day school in Hudson, Ohio that prides itself on providing a top-tier learning environment supported by modern technology. 

Matt Gerber, Chief Information Officer, and Brian Schwartz, Director of Network Administration, lead the school’s technology team. Together, they are responsible for protecting the school’s digital ecosystem and ensuring that students and faculty can work and learn in a safe, secure, and innovative environment.

Matt and Brian know that balancing innovation with security in education is no small task. “Our environment is very dynamic,” Matt explains. “We’re constantly trying new tools and adapting to new needs. That means our security has to be both comprehensive and flexible.” 

“We needed something to help alleviate the time burden of monitoring and securing our Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 systems. That’s where the investment in Cloud Monitor is worth it. It’s constantly monitoring what is going on and alerts us to risks. We can easily get the information we need to investigate and fix issues.”

— Matt Gerber, Chief Information Officer, Western Reserve Academy

With a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy that includes everything from a multi-layered security tech stack, multi-factor authentication for all, and incident response planning and training, their approach to cybersecurity sets their school ahead of the curve.

To help them strike the right balance, they turned to ManagedMethods’ Cloud Monitor to gain better visibility and control in their Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 domains.

Challenges

Before implementing Cloud Monitor, the team lacked a clear window into what was happening inside their Google and Microsoft applications, including email activity and file-sharing practices. 

“Google Admin console gives you a glimmer of what is happening. We could see certain things at the admin level, but we didn’t have the kind of detailed insight and controls we needed to actually do anything about it,” Brian shares. “When you’re talking about sensitive information and student safety, that gap is a real problem.”

Like many schools, Western Reserve Academy faced increasing cybersecurity threats, including phishing attempts. Data loss prevention was also a major concern. They needed to ensure that sensitive information, such as personally identifiable information (PII) and credit card information, wasn’t being shared improperly. Further, since Western Reserve Academy is a boarding school, they have an on-site health center that has to maintain HIPAA compliance. 

“The combination of affordability, effectiveness, and support is hard to beat. Cloud Monitor gives you confidence you’re covering both security and student safety without breaking the budget.”

— Brian Schwartz, Director of Technology, Western Reserve Academy

As a small technology team with so much going on in their data systems, Matt and Brian needed a solution that would help make monitoring activity and keeping their data safe easier.

“There’s so much happening and we have so many hats to wear and roles to cover, we needed a solution to help alleviate the workload,” explains Matt. “We needed eyes and ears on our systems for compliance and cybersecurity insurance reasons. But also, and more importantly, to protect our students, our school, our endowment, and everything that we’re doing here.”

They evaluated several solutions to help with their challenges, but most were prohibitively expensive. They also couldn’t find a suitable solution that would monitor both Google and Microsoft at a K-12-friendly price.

“We looked into several options,” Brian says, “and the costs were just not realistic for a school environment. Most of these vendors are enterprise-focused, where K-12 is just an afterthought.”

Results

Partnering with ManagedMethods provides Matt and Brian with a K-12-focused relationship that understands their unique needs. With Cloud Monitor, they enjoy the visibility and control they need to proactively protect data and people. “What I really appreciate is that it’s not just security—it’s also safety,” Matt says. “We’re able to monitor for things like self-harm or bullying behavior, and that’s invaluable. We’re not just protecting accounts, we’re protecting students.”

The alerts and reporting capabilities have transformed the way the team responds to risks. Brian explains, “We get immediate notifications if something suspicious is happening, whether that’s a risky file share or a potential phishing email. It means we can respond quickly instead of after the fact.”

Matt and Brian also appreciate that Cloud Monitor is device-agnostic, which is a big benefit in their BYOD environment. “What’s great about Cloud Monitor is that it works on any device,” Matt explains. “It only monitors school-provided accounts, which gives us the right balance between safety and security while still respecting privacy.”

“ManagedMethods’ support team is amazing. We really value the quarterly audits because they help us fine-tune our settings, learn about new best practices, and get the most out of the product.”

— Matt Gerber, Chief Information Officer, Western Reserve Academy

Another key benefit is ManagedMethods’ customer support. “Their support team is fantastic,” Matt says. “We really appreciate the quarterly audits they do with us. It gives us a chance to review our settings, talk through best practices, and make sure we’re getting the most out of the product. It’s not just set-it-and-forget-it. They’re active partners.”

The value of the partnership is one of the reasons Matt and Brian recommend Cloud Monitor to their peers. “I would absolutely recommend it,” Brian says. “The combination of affordability, effectiveness, and support is hard to beat. It gives you confidence that you’re covering both security and student safety without breaking the budget.”

Matt agrees, adding, “I’d tell other schools that this is the kind of solution you can rely on. It’s built for education, works across both Google and Microsoft environments, and the ManagedMethods team really stands behind it. For us, it’s been an easy yes.”

Most importantly, ManagedMethods helps Matt and Brian fulfill the academy’s mission of creating a safe and supportive environment for students. “When parents send their kids to Western Reserve, they’re trusting us to not only provide a great education but also to keep them safe,” Matt reflects. “Cloud Monitor plays a big part in that trust. It’s giving us peace of mind, and that’s hard to put a price on.”

Want to learn more about improving your district’s cybersecurity, student safety, and classroom engagement?

Get started with your free Google Workspace and/or Microsoft 365 security and safety audit today.

The post Cloud Monitor Provides Affordable Visibility and Control at Western Reserve Academy appeared first on ManagedMethods Cybersecurity, Safety & Compliance for K-12.

*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from ManagedMethods Cybersecurity, Safety & Compliance for K-12 authored by Katie Fritchen. Read the original post at: https://managedmethods.com/blog/customer-story-k12-western-reserve-academy-oh-2/