From complex lessons to bite-sized success. Security awareness that works for educators.

SAU#18 - Franklin Schools, New Hampshire

Franklin Schools is a K-12 public school district serving approximately 900 students in New Hampshire. As a public educational institution, Franklin Schools faces unique cybersecurity challenges that require balancing comprehensive protection with the practical realities of busy educators and limited resources.

The Technology Department is responsible for a broad spectrum of security concerns including data security, device security, network security, and most critically, staff training in cybersecurity practices. In an educational environment where staff members range from tech-savvy administrators to classroom teachers focused on curriculum delivery, creating effective security awareness training presents distinct challenges.

For Franklin Schools, cybersecurity isn’t just about protecting systems – it’s about safeguarding student data, maintaining educational continuity, and ensuring that every staff member can confidently navigate digital threats without compromising their primary mission: education.

When complexity becomes the enemy of compliance

“We were noticing a lot of users falling for spoof attempts in their emails, even though that skill should have been one of the first they mastered.”

Franklin Schools was already committed to cybersecurity training, using KnowBe4 to educate their staff. However, despite having a security awareness program in place, they faced a critical disconnect between training and real-world application.

The core challenges were:

• Low employee adoption due to lengthy and complex training assignments
• Poor skill implementation despite completed training modules
• User comprehension issues with overly complicated lesson formats
• Continued susceptibility to phishing attempts among trained staff
• Lack of practical application of supposedly mastered skills

Most concerning was the gap between training completion and actual security behavior. Staff members were completing their required training but still falling victim to the very threats the program was designed to prevent.

The educational environment presented additional complications: teachers and administrators already juggle demanding schedules, making lengthy cybersecurity training feel like another burden rather than a valuable professional development opportunity.

Franklin Schools needed a solution that would not only educate but actually change behavior – training that staff would engage with willingly and apply consistently in their daily work.

User-friendly training that educators actually complete

“Their platform was similar to KnowBe4, but with a significantly easier to understand interface. Additionally, the smaller, skill-focused videos were much more approachable.”

CyberHoot’s approach immediately addressed Franklin Schools’ core challenges with several key differentiators:

• Simplified interface: An intuitive platform that reduced cognitive load for busy educators
• Bite-sized content: Shorter, focused training modules that fit into educators’ schedules
• Skill-focused approach: Targeted lessons that addressed specific security behaviors
• Professional development integration: Training that provided tangible career benefits

The implementation included:

• Monthly training modules designed for educational environments
• Targeted phishing simulations to test real-world applications
• Professional development certificates that added value beyond security training
• Streamlined user experience that minimized administrative overhead

The onboarding process was relatively smooth and CyberHoot’s support team worked closely with Franklin Schools to ensure the platform aligned with their specific needs and communication style.

The flexibility to integrate cybersecurity training with professional development proved particularly valuable in the educational setting, where staff are accustomed to continuing education requirements and certificate-based learning.

Higher engagement, better protection, real behavioral change

“More people are doing the cyber training sessions since they are shorter and they get a professional development certificate for completing the lessons.”

The transition to CyberHoot created immediate and measurable improvements across multiple dimensions:

• Increased Participation: The combination of shorter modules and professional development certificates significantly boosted completion rates among staff members.
• Improved Security Awareness: Staff began questioning suspicious emails more frequently, demonstrating practical application of training concepts.
• Personal Impact: Multiple staff members reported that the training helped them in their personal lives, indicating deeper engagement with the material.
• Behavioral Change: The critical gap between training completion and real-world application began closing, with fewer staff members falling for phishing attempts.

The professional development aspect proved especially valuable in the educational environment:

“We have noticed that more employees seem to be more aware and question emails more often without just clicking links or attachments.”

An unexpected benefit was the personal application of security awareness skills. When training resonates enough that staff apply it in their personal lives, it demonstrates genuine comprehension and retention, exactly what Franklin Schools needed to see.

The user-friendly approach transformed cybersecurity training from a compliance burden into a valuable skill-building opportunity that staff could appreciate and apply both professionally and personally.

Expanding protection across the educational community

Looking ahead, Franklin Schools sees CyberHoot as integral to their evolving security strategy. Their plans include:

• Continued staff training using the proven effective format
• Student integration for upper grade levels to build security awareness early
• Enhanced domain security through .gov migration
• Comprehensive protection including robust DDOS defenses

“CyberHoot is definitely a long-term fit for the staff cybertraining and possible student integration into the training as well for some of our upper grades.”

For Franklin Schools, CyberHoot has proven that effective cybersecurity training in education requires understanding the unique constraints and motivations of educators, providing security awareness that fits their world rather than forcing them to adapt to yet another complex system.

“They are a great local option for Cybersecurity. The videos and other training are very user-friendly. Their support is fantastic as well.”