Nestled along the pristine beaches of the Gulf Coast of Florida, Sarasota County Schools is the 21st largest school district in the state. They educate more than 45,000 students across 56 schools, with more than 60 languages spoken by the families they serve. Renowned as a leading district in Florida, Sarasota schools has been a state leader achieving a top “A grade” every year since the Florida Department of Education began the ranking process in 2004. In the 2023-24 school year, Sarasota Schools secured the fifth spot among the 67 top-performing school districts named by the Florida Department of Education.

Despite all of this success, Sarasota County Schools still found itself facing challenges. With five new superintendents, three interim, in five years, public trust eroding from constant leadership changes and a politically charged atmosphere, the district's communication systems—and its overall reputation—were being pushed to the breaking point.

Maniglia entered the role of Director of Communications with a mandate to fix the problem. He aimed to not only replace outdated tools, but also to reverse eroding public trust. He knew the stakes were high. Sarasota needed to elevate credibility with families, unify its voice across all schools and pass a crucial bond referendum. It wasn't just about sending messages; it was about reigniting community belief in the district’s new leadership team.

Maniglia and his team didn’t rush into a fix. Instead, they initiated a full audit of every communication touchpoint. They benchmarked six major vendors and conducted a detailed crosswalk analysis, mapping each tool's ability to solve Sarasota’s complex needs. "I laid out everything I needed to do,” Maniglia says. “Apptegy just checked every box."

Sarasota implemented Apptegy in strategic phases, starting with the district website and alert systems in April 2024. Then, by July 2024, Rooms was fully operational across schools, giving teachers and principals the power to connect and engage in two-way communication with families.

Apptegy’s tools also elevate storytelling. Sarasota’s InTouch newsletter, built using Apptegy's Engage platform, transformed updates into engaging content. Modeled after the magazine National Geographic, it reached 50,000+ subscribers and has earned 20+ minute read times per visitor. 

But the greatest shift may have been in staff empowerment. With branded templates, one centralized communications platform and easy to use tools, school teams embraced their roles as communicators.

Implementation Timeline

• 2022: Communications audit and vendor analysis

• Jan 2024: Apptegy contract signed

• Apr 2024: Apptegy website launched

• Jul 2024: Rooms implementation across schools

• Fall 2024: Referendum and School Choice campaigns executed

• 2025: National recognition, measurable growth and increased engagement

With Apptegy, Maniglia saw an opportunity not only to unify systems, but to bring innovation to all communications projects. Since the beginning, Apptegy has operated more like a collaborator than a vendor. "I'd call them with an innovative idea, and they'd say, 'Let’s see if we can do it.' They always found a way to do it,” Maniglia says. “That kind of service is rare."

Their first communication challenge with their new tools blew in fast. In the fall of 2024, Sarasota was hit by three hurricanes in less than 3 months. Sarasota County Schools’ new communications systems became a literal lifeline. Maniglia and his team set up triage centers in school shelters, coordinated live press updates and distributed life-saving alerts all through Apptegy. “I mean, we got hit by 3 hurricanes last year,” Maniglia tells us. “In one, the eye went right over this office. It was critical to have the ability to get live saving information out fast.”

Maniglia has also instituted a procedure for day to day crisis communication. Within two minutes of an incident, the school will have a message to send to parents. Another update will come out 30 minutes later. Then, once the incident is over, the principal will send a message to recap what happened. Apptegy’s tools made that possible and easy to accomplish. 

The district’s next challenge was a financial storm: launching a 114 million dollar a year bond referendum campaign under Florida's newly tightened advocacy laws. Using research insights, they crafted a targeted, multi-channel communications strategy to maximize voter awareness and engagement. Maniglia launched a campaign that he dubbed "Your Schools. Your Future. Your Vote.” 

By leveraging community partnerships, transparency, and compelling storytelling, Sarasota County Schools mobilized strong public support, reinforcing the district’s reputation for educational excellence and fiscal responsibility. It was a fully integrated effort that used over 200 custom graphics, a referendum webpage, newsletter updates, and branded alerts. The campaign powered by the Apptegy suite of communication tools, educated and empowered the community without ever directly asking for a vote. “The only way I could educate them was through a website,” Maniglia explains. “So we had a massive website built with videos and informational videos.”  

The bond campaign was an election day success. Their 84.06% bond referendum approval was the highest ever achieved in Florida. What’s more, a majority of stakeholders stated they were aware of the referendum and cited district communications as a primary source of information. 

The next major communication campaign was Sarasota’s push to enroll families lost to private and charter schools. Maniglia and his team used direct mail, geo-targeted digital ads, and high-impact video to find new families and then used the website homepage, social media and newsletters, all centralized through Apptegy's platform, to drive their message home. “What we were combating was the possibility of a new neighbor moving in and hearing, ‘Oh you can’t go there, that school is awful,’” Maniglia says.

The result: 357 new enrollments and $4 million dollars in potential revenue from a campaign costing less than $8,000. Maniglia says he’s most proud of the fact that “357 students that we have never heard of registered with us.”

Sarasota County Schools went from fragmented to award-winning communications in just one year—because Apptegy’s suite of tools delivered. Deploying a unified communications platform brought efficiency and record-breaking metrics:

• Website traffic jumped 12 million annual visits (previously 8 million)

• 30,620 district app downloads and 1.1 million app page views

• 9.2 million organic social impressions (70% increase)

• 720K social media engagements (59% increase)

• 723,285 Rooms messages sent by staff and parents in just 11 months

• A newsletter with 50,000+ subscribers that has earned 20+ minute read times

• 84.06% public support for a bond referendum (highest in Florida)

• $4 million in new revenue generated from 357 new student enrollments

Recognition quickly followed the team’s amazing work. In 2025, Sarasota County Schools was one of only 13 districts nationwide to win NSPRA's prestigious Gold Medallion Award.  Their enrollment campaign also won the SUNSPRA Supernova Award and the Radiant Award.

Sarasota didn’t just upgrade its tools. It redefined its identity. Through a clear strategic vision, flawless execution and a partner that "does things differently," the district unified its voice and reshaped its story. In an age of noise and fragmentation, Sarasota has become a beacon of what’s possible when you lead with brand clarity and message consistency.

Maniglia emphasized how Apptegy’s tools empowered—not burdened—staff. "I’ve coached varsity sports. You win before the pitch is thrown,” he says. “If your brand looks strong, people respect you. Apptegy gave us that advantage."