Culprit 'Adjudicated' in H-H GPA, Class Rank Leak

The mystery about how Hatboro-Horsham High School students' grade point averages and class rank information was obtained and shared with fellow students has been solved.

However, district officials are keeping mum on who is responsible for the information leak and the punishments levied against the person or persons. In a statement released to the media on Tuesday morning, the district announced the "successful conclusion" to a nearly seven-month-long investigation into the release of the information, but said the district would not release the name, grade or "any other identifying information of anyone charged in this matter."

"Hatboro-Horsham also will not be releasing if the district took any kind of disciplinary action against those involved in the incident," according to the statement. "The individual or individuals have been adjudicated through the Montgomery County Juvenile Court system in a manor we believe to be fair and just."

According to KYW Newsradio, the person responsible for sending the e-mail was a 17-year-old Hatboro-Horsham High School student, who has since been ordered to serve 100 hours of community service and pay thousands of dollars in restitution.

Officials told Patch previously that an email from an "unidentified sender" containing class rank and GPA information was distributed to high school students in May. 

John Nodecker, Hatboro-Horsham School District assistant superintendent for secondary education, told Patch at that time that it did not appear that the sender breached any of the district's security systems. The email was in violation of the district's acceptable use policy, which Nodecker said carried "pretty serious" penalties - including expulsion for a student.  

The Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office, Horsham Township Police Department, the FBI investigated the matter. 

According to the statement released Tuesday, the district is "committed to the security of our digital network and protecting our students’ confidential information."

"We face a difficult challenge every day to provide ease of access to our district’s digital resources to support learning and to maintain a high level of security to provide protection from individuals seeking to do harm. The Hatboro-Horsham School District took every available step to investigate this crime and achieve a resolution — a promise we made from day one," the statement reads. "The Hatboro-Horsham School District will always be committed to our students’ privacy and the security of the network, which is why actions that intrude and compromise students’ confidential information or breach the security of our network will be fully investigated and criminally resolved."