In school technology, we spend a lot of time reacting to problems. A server goes down, fiber gets cut, a laptop won’t connect. You name it, it lands on our desk. The truth is, we’re so busy putting out fires that we rarely carve out time to ask: what if?
That’s where tabletop exercises come in. And no, they don’t have to be complicated, expensive, or intimidating. At their heart, tabletops are just structured conversations that help you prepare for the next crisis before it happens.
Why Tabletops Matter for Schools
Security isn’t just a “tech problem.” It touches everyone from students and teachers to bus drivers, cafeteria workers, administrators, and even parents. If the internet goes down across a district, the impact isn’t limited to IT. Instruction stalls, communication falters, rumors spread, and leadership is forced to make hard calls.
A tabletop gives you space to explore those ripple effects in a calm environment, without the adrenaline rush of a real outage. By walking through scenarios, you uncover gaps, clarify roles, and build confidence across teams.
A Simple Scenario: Fiber Cut at the School
Let’s take one that many of us have actually lived through. Imagine construction workers accidentally slice through your district’s fiber line at 8:15 a.m., right before the school day begins.
By 8:30: Teachers can’t access online resources, help desk tickets surge, and principals are calling the tech office.
By 9:00: The technology director confirms a district-wide outage.
By 10:00: The ISP reports a fiber cut, with repair estimated at 12–18 hours.
By afternoon: Rumors of a “cyberattack” circulate, parents start calling, and leadership must decide whether to cancel tutoring, testing, or after-school events.
The point isn’t just to imagine the timeline. It’s to step into the shoes of different roles and ask: what would you do?
Stakeholder Perspectives
Superintendent: How do you keep learning moving forward without internet? How do you reassure parents and the school board this isn’t a cyberattack?
Technology Team: How do you confirm the problem is external, coordinate with the ISP, and communicate updates when email is down? Could you “MacGyver” a limited connection for critical systems?
Communications Director: What’s the message for families, and how do you get it out if your normal channels are offline?
Facilities: How do you monitor HVAC, food storage, or water systems that depend on network alerts? How do you coordinate with the construction crew that caused the damage?
When each role talks through their response, everyone gains a clearer picture of how to handle the situation. That clarity reduces chaos when the real thing happens.
Building Your Playbook
A recurring theme in any exercise is the need for a playbook, a reference guide with contacts, steps, and fallback procedures. When the internet is down, you can’t rely on cloud files or email archives. Having a printed copy with critical phone numbers and procedures can make the difference between orderly response and confusion.
Think of it like aviation: pilots don’t rely on memory in emergencies, they flip open a checklist. Schools need the same mindset.
Leveling Up Your Tabletops
Once you’re comfortable running simple scenarios, you can raise the bar:
Use AI for interactivity: Let a chatbot throw curveballs mid-exercise and give instant feedback.
Swap roles: Have your communications director play superintendent, or your tech staff play facilities. It forces new perspectives.
Gamify it: Run the exercise like a role-playing game with a “dungeon master” guiding the scenario.
The more immersive the exercise, the more memorable the lessons.
Final Thoughts
Tabletop exercises don’t need to be intimidating or time-consuming. They’re conversations. They cost nothing. And they prepare your district for the inevitable curveballs, whether it’s a fiber cut, a cyber incident, or something nobody’s thought of yet.
The key is consistency. Run them regularly, rotate scenarios, and always debrief: What worked? What didn’t? What gaps do we need to close?
When stakeholders walk away feeling better prepared and eager for the next round, you know you’ve done it right.