Overview
In today’s education landscape, protecting student and staff data is more critical than ever. For Twin Cedars and Melcher-Dallas Community School Districts, both guided by District Superintendent Scott Bridges, limited resources and a growing number of cybersecurity threats made it clear that a stronger, more proactive security strategy was needed. Partnering with IP Pathways and Tenax Solutions, the districts adopted Security Posture as a Service (SPaaS™) and Managed Detection and Response (MDR) to protect their networks, train their staff and strengthen compliance readiness.
Challenges Before Partnering With IP Pathways/Tenax Solutions
Like many small school districts, Twin Cedars and Melcher-Dallas operated without a dedicated IT or cybersecurity department. Technology leadership often fell to administrators who wore many hats by overseeing operations, budgeting, and now, information security. “We were lacking cybersecurity support in our district,” explained District Superintendent Scott Bridges. “I initially worked through the AEA to find a solution, but they didn’t have one. When I connected with Sean through the AEA and learned about Tenax’s services, they immediately stood out as more thorough and knowledgeable. I felt a higher level of trust in their ability to deliver the results we needed.” That trust became essential as both districts faced a fast-evolving threat landscape and limited internal bandwidth to keep up with best practices, compliance requirements and staff awareness.
Why IP Pathways/Tenax Solutions
From the first engagement, the partnership stood out for its responsiveness and personal approach. “Attention to detail and being personable and supportive,” Bridges said when asked what sets Tenax apart. “If I have a tech or cybersecurity issue, it’s just an email or phone call, and they’re very responsive. I get answers or assistance quickly, whether it’s advice for us to fix it ourselves or them doing it for us. We don’t sit around waiting for days; we get help right away.” This level of collaboration and accessibility helped the districts feel supported through every step of the cybersecurity improvement process.
Implementing SPaaS and MDR: Building a Stronger, Continuous Security Foundation
IP Pathways and Tenax first introduced Security Posture as a Service (SPaaS™) to provide a structured, ongoing approach to cybersecurity management. The service includes monthly vulnerability scans, continuous risk assessment, employee security awareness training and vCISO (virtual Chief Information Security Officer) guidance. While SPaaS™ strengthened internal policies and preventive measures, the next step was adopting Managed Detection and Response (MDR) to ensure 24/7 monitoring and rapid incident response. The need became clear after a major incident: “One of my districts was actually hacked,” Bridges recalled. “Someone clicked on a malicious email, and attackers got into our Google management platform, created accounts and changed policies. That was a major wake-up call that we were too vulnerable.” MDR provides an additional layer of continuous protection through an around-the-clock Security Operations Center (SOC) that detects and responds to suspicious activity before it becomes a larger problem.
Looking Ahead
As the districts continue their cybersecurity journey, the focus remains on completing the first year of SPaaS™ with a fully mapped and strengthened security posture. With Tenax and IP Pathways as trusted partners, Bridges feels confident the districts are moving in the right direction: “It’s a work in progress, but the support we’ve had has been tremendous. We’re learning, improving and protecting our schools in ways we couldn’t before.”
