When SB 181 went into effect, it didn’t just ask Kentucky school districts to communicate more... it asked them to communicate better. For many schools, that meant a total shift in how coaches, counselors, and extracurricular leaders shared information.

We wrote about the early days of that transformation in our first post, From Chaos to Clarity, where Bullitt County led the way by training coaches to use Rooms, a communication tool inside Apptegy. That work paid off. Practices ran smoother, permission slips got returned, and families finally knew where to look for information.

But here’s the thing about change: It’s not a one-time event. It’s a system. And that’s where Apptegy’s newest updates come in.

the right tool, at the right time

We’ve been big fans of Apptegy for a long time. Their platform is powerful, intuitive, and built with district realities in mind. But their Summer 2025 release? It feels like it was designed with SB 181 in the room.

Here’s what we’re excited about and how it translates to real SB 181 wins:

Centralized Messaging

One inbox. One stream. One less headache.
Now families, staff, and students can connect across Rooms, Messages, and Announcements in one place... simplifying compliance and making transparency the default.

Set Staff Communication Windows

Teachers and staff can now set their availability. Parents know when to expect replies, and educators get protected time to focus and recharge.
A small feature with big implications for burnout prevention and boundary-setting.

Text-First Outreach

Even if a parent hasn’t downloaded the app, Messages and Announcements still reach them by text.
That means fewer gaps, fewer missed updates, and stronger alignment with SB 181’s accessibility expectations.

AI-Powered Moderation

Risky or inappropriate content? Flagged automatically.
This protects your district’s culture before issues escalate, adding a new layer of oversight and support.

Smarter Branding Tools

Shared content blocks, newsletter templates, and district-first logins ensure that every message reflects your brand, not a vendor’s.
Districts stay in control, even as more people contribute to the story

SB181 compliance isn’t just a checklist. it’s a culture.

What we love about Apptegy’s direction is that it reinforces what we believe at Alchemy: Communication isn’t about tools... it’s about trust. And trust is built through consistency, clarity, and care.

That’s why we don’t stop at training.

We help districts build the systems around Apptegy that make all of this stick:

• SOPs for staff communication expectations
• Branded newsletter templates for consistent family outreach
• Coaching sessions that connect policy to practice
• Real-time troubleshooting and backend support
• Integration with design labs and brand kits created through The Foundation

Whether it’s a new principal, a new policy, or a new season... your communication shouldn’t start from scratch every time.

a final word on partnership

We’re proud to be in Apptegy’s corner. Their commitment to innovation and usability has made our job easier — and made our clients more confident.

We’ve seen what happens when great tools meet great systems:

Chaos clears. Voices align. Communities trust.

And most importantly? Students benefit.

want to build what lasts?

If you're navigating SB 181 implementation or want to streamline your communication workflows using Apptegy, we’d love to help.

🔗 Schedule a free consult

🔙 Or read Part 1 of this series: From Chaos to Clarity

Together, we can make the shift from policy pressure… to purposeful connection.