Cybersecurity & the Realities of School IT: David Wildy on Leading Tech in Public Education

In this powerful episode of Learning Through Technology, hosts Alex Inman and Bob Cireddu sit down with David Wildy, Chief Technology Officer at Dublin Unified School District in California, for a candid conversation about the front-line realities of managing technology in K–12 education.David pulls no punches as he discusses the operational grind balancing infrastructure demands, refresh cycles, and phishing attacks with the strategic vision required to align IT with instructional priorities. He shares how being part of the Ed Services team, rather than the business office, has given his department a more direct path to classroom impact, and how his small but mighty 14-person team supports over 12,000 students across a rapidly growing district.Whether you're an edtech leader or an administrator trying to bridge instructional goals with technology systems, this episode is packed with both ground-level insights and big-picture strategy.Key Moments:03:00 – The Real Threat: Phishing, not firewalls05:05 – Teacher Training vs. Email Fatigue: A Catch-2207:18 – From Keenan to ESET: Building smarter cyber training08:30 – Why IT Belongs in Ed Services: Curriculum alignment in action10:50 – Coaching Connections: Using EdTech coaches to scale support13:00 – Supporting Everyone: Not just teachers, but staff and admin15:20 – The Thought Leadership Trap: No time at 30,000 feet17:23 – The Budget Cliff: Post-ESSER tech maintenance19:06 – Cybersecurity at Night: Risk, insurance, and reality22:27 – Staff or Service? The outsourcing debate24:01 – Tech Impact on Learning: Making the case through data26:14 – Flexibility Over One-Size-Fits-All28:00 – A Music Teacher’s Legacy: How Mr. Tristan shaped a tech leaderWhy You’ll Love This Episode:Real Talk from a District CTODavid doesn’t gloss over the hard parts—he walks us through the daily demands and long-term vision of school tech leadership.Instructional Alignment, Not SilosHear how his team works side-by-side with curriculum and EdTech coaches to ensure technology supports teaching, not just operations.Security Without Fear-Mongering From phishing to ransomware to insurance, David offers a clear-eyed view of the threats schools face and how to prepare.Connect with Guest – David WildyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-wildy-mpa-ba41b95Connect with Hosts – Alex Inman & Bob CiredduLinkedIn – Alex Inman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexinman/LinkedIn – Bob Cireddu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-cireddu