July 29, 2025 • 7 mins
Family legacy meets professional mission in this heartfelt conversation with Marian Wilson, MIS Coordinator at the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind (AIDB). Recording from the Alabama Educational Technology Conference in Mobile, we explore the unique intersection of personal connection and educational technology that has shaped Wilson's remarkable 24-year career.
Spotlight 4 Success: Spotlight 4 Success
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Welcome to Spotlight for Success by American Book
Company.
I'm Devin Pintosi, your host.
We are here at the AlabamaEducational Technology
Conference in Sunny Mobile,alabama, and we are here with
our special guest, marian Wilson.
Marian, thanks for joining ustoday.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Thank you for having me today.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Wilson.
Marianne, thanks for joining ustoday.
Thank you for having me today.
Marianne joins us.
She is the student specialist,student data specialist with
AIDB, the Alabama Institute forthe Deaf and Blind, and we are
so happy to have you here today,marianne, thank you.
Can you tell me a bit aboutwhat you do and what brings you
here to the AATC?
Speaker 2 (00:44):
So I am currently the MIS coordinator at the Alabama
Institute for Deaf and Blind inTalladega.
My current position is MIScoordinator, so I am responsible
for all of our student systems,particularly the power school
system, which is our studentinformation systems, and so I am
here to kind of grow that skillbase, you know, to learn more
about what power school offers,and that's been my focus since
(01:07):
I've been here.
But there's been so many otheropportunities to learn and do
different things while I'm here,so it's always a wonderful
learning experience.
I've joined the AETC aboutthree years ago that I've been
coming to their conferences, sothere's always an opportunity to
learn something here and Ithoroughly enjoy it every year.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Oh, that's great.
But this year your focus wasreally those power, school
integrations, those power schoolcourses yes.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Those things that we can add on, we can use to
enhance our student interactionWonderful.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
As well as our teacher interaction.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
You know, those things that will help our
teachers do more, give more toour students as well as help our
because it's also a systemwhere our students can use it
and our parents can use it.
So those things that willassist them in doing things that
they do.
It makes their life a littlebit easier, you know.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
Oh, that's so great.
It's so great that you'reinvolved in that and can you
tell us a bit about you've donethis for four years now, I
understand.
Is that right?
I've?
Speaker 2 (01:59):
been the MIS coordinator for about four years
.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
But I've been with the Alabama Institute for Deaf
and Blind for 24 years.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
That's wow, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
So I initially came to AIDBN 2020.
And so I came in as a computertech.
Okay.
So, I was a computer technicianwhere I did the hardware work,
which kind of was the fun partof it because I was able to go
out more and interact with ourstudents.
Oh, nice so when you're doingcomputer tech, when you're doing
the hardware side, you knowyou're able to go out to a
(02:28):
classroom and assist a teacherwith a printer problem or things
like that.
So you get to kind of be moreinvolved with the students and
so that was a wonderfulexperience.
But you know, of course, as wego and as we learn, you know we
kind of want to advance ourcareers.
So I was able to move up alittle, but I do mostly now it's
kind of in the office, which issad because you don't get to
(02:48):
see the students anymore.
But we still take opportunitiesto go out and be with our
students and interact with themwith their programs and things
like that.
We do a fun field day with themjust out at the IT department
and go out and interact with ourstudents.
So it's always fun to be atAIDB.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
Oh, that is wonderful , marion, and tell us a bit
about your journey.
Why did you choose for yourcareer path?
Working for the Institute forthe Deaf and Blind for 24 years?
Speaker 3 (03:13):
Yeah, Thank you for watching Spotlight for Success.
I am Devin Pintosi, chiefOperating Officer of American
Book Company.
We are located here in ourheadquarters in Woodstock,
georgia.
All of our materials areprinted in USA.
We have course books, e-booksand online testing in grades K
(03:37):
through 12 in mathematics, ela,science and social studies.
These materials are alldesigned to help students
achieve higher scores on theirstate-specific high-stakes
assessments.
We guarantee score improvement.
You can get free samples of ourmaterials either in print or in
(03:58):
electronic formats atabck12.com.
We look forward to hearing fromyou.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
So AIDB has always been a part of my life,
literally always been a part ofmy life.
When I finished undergrad, Idid go to the classroom for a
year.
I taught at a local high schoolfor a year and I loved it.
It was an amazing experience,but AIDB was where I wanted to
be and so an opportunity came upand, after some prayer and, you
(04:29):
know, talking with my family, Idecided that, you know, that
was the best move for me at thetime.
So I went to that position but,like I said, it's been a part
of my life for all of my life.
I had grandparents who werevisually impaired.
Both my grandparents were blind.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
So and I had aunts and uncles and cousins who had
visual impairments, so theyattended the Alabama School for
the Blind.
My grandparents and aunts anduncles worked at the Alabama
Industries for the Blind, whichis also a part of our institute
as a whole.
Okay, that's our manufacturingfacility and they do sewing,
they do government contracts andthings.
(05:08):
So they were always there andso as I was growing up as a
young girl, you know I remembergoing to pick granddaddy up from
work and those things.
So it always made an impact onme to see those people with
disabilities function at such ahigh level.
You know, and interact with mygrandparents and you know seeing
them continue to go on withlife's journey in spite of so it
(05:31):
was always weighing on me.
So when I got the opportunityto go back to AIDB, it felt like
home.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
It was just right.
That is so inspiring.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
And I love what I did .
Speaker 1 (05:40):
What a great story.
That's fantastic.
Do you have anything you'd liketo share with the AATC
community associated with thisconference?
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Yeah, aetc community associated with this conference.
Yeah, I think.
Like I said, I think AETC hasalways been a benefit to anyone
in the education facility.
I've even talked to people likebecause I said like AIDB is not
just K-12.
We have adult facilities wherewe have adult learning programs.
We have a business side wherewe do sewing programs, work
(06:11):
programs.
So, there's so many differentavenues.
We have retail stores, and soit's always such a learning
opportunity here at AETC andagain, I was able to even talk
to people here who were able tooffer me some insights on things
that we're doing on thebusiness side of the house, so
it's not just education.
(06:31):
You know, there's so manyopportunities here that we can
tap into, you know, and, like Isaid, it's been wonderful.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
Oh, that is wonderful .
Great to hear.
So once again, this is MarianWilson, with the Alabama
Institute for the Deaf and Blind.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Located in Talladega, alabama, but we also have
facilities in regional centersthroughout the state of Blind.
Located in Talladega, alabama,but we also have facilities in
regional centers throughout thestate of Alabama.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
Oh wonderful, wonderful, and she is the
student systems coordinator forthe area, working with power
schools right now.
Yes, and thank you so much forjoining us today.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Thank you so much, it was my pleasure.
Welcome to Spotlight for Success by American Book
Company.
I'm Devin Pintosi, your host.
We are here at the AlabamaEducational Technology
Conference in Sunny Mobile,alabama, and we are here with
our special guest, marian Wilson.
Marian, thanks for joining ustoday.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Thank you for having me today.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Wilson.
Marianne, thanks for joining ustoday.
Thank you for having me today.
Marianne joins us.
She is the student specialist,student data specialist with
AIDB, the Alabama Institute forthe Deaf and Blind, and we are
so happy to have you here today,marianne, thank you.
Can you tell me a bit aboutwhat you do and what brings you
here to the AATC?
Speaker 2 (00:44):
So I am currently the MIS coordinator at the Alabama
Institute for Deaf and Blind inTalladega.
My current position is MIScoordinator, so I am responsible
for all of our student systems,particularly the power school
system, which is our studentinformation systems, and so I am
here to kind of grow that skillbase, you know, to learn more
about what power school offers,and that's been my focus since
(01:07):
I've been here.
But there's been so many otheropportunities to learn and do
different things while I'm here,so it's always a wonderful
learning experience.
I've joined the AETC aboutthree years ago that I've been
coming to their conferences, sothere's always an opportunity to
learn something here and Ithoroughly enjoy it every year.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Oh, that's great.
But this year your focus wasreally those power, school
integrations, those power schoolcourses yes.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Those things that we can add on, we can use to
enhance our student interactionWonderful.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
As well as our teacher interaction.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
You know, those things that will help our
teachers do more, give more toour students as well as help our
because it's also a systemwhere our students can use it
and our parents can use it.
So those things that willassist them in doing things that
they do.
It makes their life a littlebit easier, you know.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
Oh, that's so great.
It's so great that you'reinvolved in that and can you
tell us a bit about you've donethis for four years now, I
understand.
Is that right?
I've?
Speaker 2 (01:59):
been the MIS coordinator for about four years
.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
But I've been with the Alabama Institute for Deaf
and Blind for 24 years.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
That's wow, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
So I initially came to AIDBN 2020.
And so I came in as a computertech.
Okay.
So, I was a computer technicianwhere I did the hardware work,
which kind of was the fun partof it because I was able to go
out more and interact with ourstudents.
Oh, nice so when you're doingcomputer tech, when you're doing
the hardware side, you knowyou're able to go out to a
(02:28):
classroom and assist a teacherwith a printer problem or things
like that.
So you get to kind of be moreinvolved with the students and
so that was a wonderfulexperience.
But you know, of course, as wego and as we learn, you know we
kind of want to advance ourcareers.
So I was able to move up alittle, but I do mostly now it's
kind of in the office, which issad because you don't get to
(02:48):
see the students anymore.
But we still take opportunitiesto go out and be with our
students and interact with themwith their programs and things
like that.
We do a fun field day with themjust out at the IT department
and go out and interact with ourstudents.
So it's always fun to be atAIDB.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
Oh, that is wonderful , marion, and tell us a bit
about your journey.
Why did you choose for yourcareer path?
Working for the Institute forthe Deaf and Blind for 24 years?
Speaker 3 (03:13):
Yeah, Thank you for watching Spotlight for Success.
I am Devin Pintosi, chiefOperating Officer of American
Book Company.
We are located here in ourheadquarters in Woodstock,
georgia.
All of our materials areprinted in USA.
We have course books, e-booksand online testing in grades K
(03:37):
through 12 in mathematics, ela,science and social studies.
These materials are alldesigned to help students
achieve higher scores on theirstate-specific high-stakes
assessments.
We guarantee score improvement.
You can get free samples of ourmaterials either in print or in
(03:58):
electronic formats atabck12.com.
We look forward to hearing fromyou.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
So AIDB has always been a part of my life,
literally always been a part ofmy life.
When I finished undergrad, Idid go to the classroom for a
year.
I taught at a local high schoolfor a year and I loved it.
It was an amazing experience,but AIDB was where I wanted to
be and so an opportunity came upand, after some prayer and, you
(04:29):
know, talking with my family, Idecided that, you know, that
was the best move for me at thetime.
So I went to that position but,like I said, it's been a part
of my life for all of my life.
I had grandparents who werevisually impaired.
Both my grandparents were blind.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
So and I had aunts and uncles and cousins who had
visual impairments, so theyattended the Alabama School for
the Blind.
My grandparents and aunts anduncles worked at the Alabama
Industries for the Blind, whichis also a part of our institute
as a whole.
Okay, that's our manufacturingfacility and they do sewing,
they do government contracts andthings.
(05:08):
So they were always there andso as I was growing up as a
young girl, you know I remembergoing to pick granddaddy up from
work and those things.
So it always made an impact onme to see those people with
disabilities function at such ahigh level.
You know, and interact with mygrandparents and you know seeing
them continue to go on withlife's journey in spite of so it
(05:31):
was always weighing on me.
So when I got the opportunityto go back to AIDB, it felt like
home.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
It was just right.
That is so inspiring.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
And I love what I did .
Speaker 1 (05:40):
What a great story.
That's fantastic.
Do you have anything you'd liketo share with the AATC
community associated with thisconference?
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Yeah, aetc community associated with this conference.
Yeah, I think.
Like I said, I think AETC hasalways been a benefit to anyone
in the education facility.
I've even talked to people likebecause I said like AIDB is not
just K-12.
We have adult facilities wherewe have adult learning programs.
We have a business side wherewe do sewing programs, work
(06:11):
programs.
So, there's so many differentavenues.
We have retail stores, and soit's always such a learning
opportunity here at AETC andagain, I was able to even talk
to people here who were able tooffer me some insights on things
that we're doing on thebusiness side of the house, so
it's not just education.
(06:31):
You know, there's so manyopportunities here that we can
tap into, you know, and, like Isaid, it's been wonderful.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
Oh, that is wonderful .
Great to hear.
So once again, this is MarianWilson, with the Alabama
Institute for the Deaf and Blind.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Located in Talladega, alabama, but we also have
facilities in regional centersthroughout the state of Blind.
Located in Talladega, alabama,but we also have facilities in
regional centers throughout thestate of Alabama.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
Oh wonderful, wonderful, and she is the
student systems coordinator forthe area, working with power
schools right now.
Yes, and thank you so much forjoining us today.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Thank you so much, it was my pleasure.
Popular Podcasts
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.