Forget about tech for a minute. For Adam Phyall, Director of Technology and Media Services for Newton County School System (GA), connectivity, communication, and emotional support are what is key for district success during the pandemic.
In his discussion with eSchool News, Adam talks about the big picture challenges the next school year brings for his students, parents, faculty, and administration–and how he plans to deal with them.
Related content: Data vs. COVID: How one district runs the numbers
eSN: What was your first priority when all hell broke loose?
AP: It was one of those things where when it initially hit, somewhere in my bones my Spidey senses were tingling. This was not going to be just two weeks.
And then once it became a situation where it was a lockdown for the entire school year, we had to figure out the best way to connect. We weren’t one-to-one with our devices in the district. We had to break our shelter in place and distribute devices to our students.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwGHRk67WxY]
- eSchool News Live @InstructureCon25 - July 23, 2025
- ISTE25 Takeaways—BBC Studios Launches Free Global Education Platform to Support Teachers, Students, and Families - July 23, 2025
- ISTE25 Takeaways—Bloomz Unveils Immersive Translation and Conversational AI to Simplify and Strengthen the School-Home Connection - July 22, 2025