Dear Staff and Families,
August 2025
As we prepare for the upcoming school year, we want to share important information regarding Senate Bill 181, which outlines clear expectations for how school employees and volunteers communicate with students. Maintaining safe, transparent, and professional communication is critical to protecting both our students and staff while fostering strong school-family partnerships.
Under this law, all communication must occur through district-approved, traceable systems—platforms that log messages, are accessible by the district, and can be reviewed by parents if necessary. Rowan County approved traceable systems include: district email, Edgenuity, Google Workspace, and ParentSquare.
Communication outside of these systems is only permitted if the student is an immediate family member (such as a child, sibling, grandchild, aunt, uncle, or grandparent), or if a parent or guardian has submitted written consent for the staff member or volunteer to communicate with the student through another method. A consent form must be submitted for each staff member individually—blanket or general permission is not allowed.
Staff and volunteers are prohibited from texting, messaging, or emailing students from personal accounts or through unapproved platforms like Snapchat, Instagram, or private group chats unless a consent form is on file. Even in extracurricular or community-based settings (such as travel sports, church groups, or summer camps), these communication rules still apply if the student is enrolled in the district and not a family member.
Staff may post to personal and official social media accounts but should not engage in private messaging with students unless written consent is on file. Public comments and likes are generally acceptable but must still adhere to FERPA privacy laws.
Any suspected violations must be reported immediately to school administration, and violations may lead to disciplinary action or reporting to the Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB)
Parents can expect all communication from staff to come through official school systems. If a parent wishes to allow a staff member to communicate with their child through other means, they must complete a consent form and submit it to the school.
This legislation is designed to ensure transparency, student safety, and strong school-family partnerships through consistent, professional communication. If you need a consent form, please visit our district website. If you have questions about SB 181, please contact your school administrator.
We appreciate your partnership in helping us maintain a secure and professional learning environment for all students. By working together to follow these guidelines, we can ensure communication between school and home remains clear, consistent, and centered on student success and safety.
Thank you for your continued support of Rowan County Schools. If you have any questions or need assistance with consent forms, please don’t hesitate to contact your school administrator.
With appreciation,
Micheal Rowe
Superintendent
Rowan County Schools