Three district campaigns earn the Gold Medallion, NSPRA's highest honor, for work spanning enrollment, bond/referendum support, and transportation staffing

Apptegy, the K-12 communications platform partner to more than 5,250 school districts nationwide, today congratulated 114 partner districts recognized in the National School Public Relations Association's (NSPRA) 2026 awards program. Collectively, the districts earned nearly 400 individual awards this year, including three Gold Medallion Awards — NSPRA's highest honor for educational public relations programs.

NSPRA's awards program recognizes excellence in school communications across three tiers. This year, three Apptegy partner districts won Gold Medallion Awards, 23 won Gold Achievement Awards, and 87 were recognized with Publication and Digital Media Excellence Awards.

The honorees will be celebrated on stage at NSPRA's 2026 National Seminar, held July 19–22 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Apptegy will be on-site throughout the conference to cheer on its partner districts and connect with school communicators from across the country.

“It’s an incredible honor to work alongside so many superintendents, communication professionals, and others within their districts who make a difference in their communities every day,” said Bob Butler, CEO of Apptegy. “Our partner districts embody the spirit of community connection through education, and this recognition from NSPRA reflects the creativity, dedication, and ultimately impact that they bring to their work every single day. We love supporting our clients and truly believe that their mission is our mission.”

That impact is echoed by the district communicators behind this year’s winning campaigns. “Companies like Apptegy have allowed us to streamline our communications into a single app,” said Bill Good, chief of communications for Denver Public Schools, whose SchoolChoice campaign earned a 2026 Gold Medallion. “This dramatically improves the communications experience with our families, which directly impacts recruitment and retention.”

2026 Gold Medallion Winners

Denver Public Schools (CO)

Marketing Communication Campaign — Celebrating the Denver Public Schools Experience

This campaign contributed to an increase of over 2,800 student enrollments, marking the district’s most successful SchoolChoice Round 1 recruitment cycle in five years.

Racine Unified School District (WI)

Bond/Finance Campaign — RUSD Referendum: Strong Schools Strong Community

The campaign secured voter support and approval of the referendum which successfully maintained staff and vital programming. Furthermore, the campaign enhanced public trust, deepened the community's understanding of school finance, and generated lasting momentum for public education support throughout Racine.

Livingston Educational Service Agency (MI)

Marketing Communication Campaign — Join the Team that Drives the Future

The bus-driver recruitment campaign generated interest from 95 individuals and led to 30 new hires across member districts by the start of the school year, reducing the risk of route cancellations and service disruptions.

The full list of Apptegy’s 114 NSPRA award-winning partner districts is available on the Apptegy blog: https://www.apptegy.com/blogs/2026-NSPRA-winners/.

About Apptegy

Apptegy partners with more than 5,250 school districts across the United States to simplify communication, elevate their brands, and empower every role in their organization. The company’s all-in-one K-12 communications platform powers district websites, mobile apps, alerts, newsletters, and two-way teacher-family messaging — all under the district’s own brand. Named to the 2026 GSV 150 and winner of the 2026 EdTech Award for Best Administrative Solution, Apptegy is headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas. Learn more at apptegy.com.

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