August 27, 2025 • 6 mins
What happens when a teacher returns to their own high school as an educator? Meet Janie Olivarri, who transformed from Pleasanton High School graduate to dedicated instructor with 26 years of experience in the same hallways where she once studied.
Website: Spotlight 4 Success
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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 am Devin Pintosi, your host.
We are here in sunny SanAntonio, texas, at the ASCD ISTE
Conference 2025, and we are sohappy today to have our special
guest, janie Olivari.
She is here from Pleasanton ISDat Pleasanton High School in
(00:29):
Pleasanton, texas.
Thank you for joining us today,janie.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
It's my pleasure to be here, thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Wonderful.
Can you tell us a bit aboutwhat brings you here to ASCD,
isd?
Speaker 2 (00:38):
So anytime a teacher gets a chance to go to a
conference, they jump right onin, and especially ISTE.
It's one of the biggestconferences.
It has a lot of beneficialtechnology, software, teaching
strategies for teachers, and sothat's why I'm here today and
also teachers get a free daypass at the expo.
(01:00):
Oh, that is so awesome, soanything free is also, you know,
something that I'm going tojump at.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Free day pass?
Absolutely yeah, why not?
It's great.
It's right here in yourbackyard, that's right.
So can you tell me a bit aboutyour career as an educator in
Pleasanton High School?
Speaker 2 (01:21):
So I'll be starting my 26th year at Pleasanton High
School.
I'm actually a graduate ofPleasanton High School.
I'm actually a graduate ofPleasanton High School, so it's
fun to go back and teach at theschool that I graduated from.
So I've seen it change, youknow, over the years and evolve
into really a school that valuesthe students that attend.
We have great programs of studyfor our students.
(01:42):
I teach AV classes, whichincludes video editing, sound
editing, graphic design, and sobeing on this podcast here is
right up my alley.
We started a podcast about fiveyears ago.
It's been on a two-year hiatusbecause we can't find a
podcasting host, but I saw youall set up here and so I wanted
(02:03):
to see you know what thistechnology was about here that
you are using.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Oh, yeah, certainly we.
We appreciate that.
You know we're we're growingand learning as well as we go
through this process of doingthese podcasts, and it's just so
much fun and so rewarding to beable to learn from people like
yourself that are also learning,and podcasting is so new for a
lot of people still today.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
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, ebooksand online testing in grades K
(02:51):
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
(03:13):
electronic formats atabck12.com.
We look forward to hearing fromyou.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Can you tell me a bit about what you're hoping to get
out of your ASCD ISTEexperience that you're going to
take back to Pleasanton HighSchool?
Speaker 2 (03:29):
So, as a technology teacher, every year we get new
courses that we have to teach,some courses we teach year after
year, but this year I'll beteaching practicum and marketing
, and so I'm looking forcurriculum with entrepreneurship
, things that lend itself to themarketing pathway, I guess you
(03:50):
could say.
And so I just want to be ableto teach this class in a way
that's going to be fun for thekids, and so I'm looking for
professionals in that area oh,that's great.
I'm looking for professionalsin that area, oh, that's great.
And then, like I said, this too, I mean seeing the equipment
and new technologies that we canbring into our schools as well,
into our AV pathway oh, that isso awesome.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
Can you tell me why you got into teaching?
You definitely made this yourvocation.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Yes.
Well, when I graduated college,I did think I just wanted to be
a stay-at-home mom.
You know, I had just graduatedand I was going to have my first
child and that first year thatI stayed home I got really bored
.
I was like I feel like there'sso much more that I could be
doing in our world.
And then my husband was ineducation.
He was like you should go tothe alternative certification
(04:40):
pathway, you know program, andbecome a teacher that way.
And so I did, and that's how Ibecame a teacher.
I got bored at being at homethere you go, and so there
happened to be a businessposition opened at my high
school, which was my degree area, and so it just, it just all
fell into place the way I wassupposed to and that is so great
(05:01):
.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
Do you have a special memory you can share of, maybe
an interaction with the class orstudent where you're like, wow,
this is why I got into teaching?
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Well, I also do a business club called Business
Professionals of America, andreally that is my baby, that is
what makes my teachingprofession rewarding.
I mean, yes, seeing the kidsevery year, meeting new kids,
meeting new families, but kidsthat want to go into the
business field, the technologyfield.
They have goals, they haveaspirations.
(05:29):
We compete regional, state andnational level, and so that's
our goal every year is tocompete and to win, and so
that's what I really love aboutmy job is doing the business
club and working with kids thatare business-minded and have
those types of aspirations.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
That is wonderful.
Being able to do those clubsthat are taking kids to that
next level, yes, and you being apart of that, that's great.
That's got to be so rewarding.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Yes, it is.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
That's great.
So let me ask you do you have amessage you'd like to share
with the ASCD ISTE community?
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Every day is a time to learn.
As teachers, we know we neverstop learning, and so technology
changes so fast, softwarechanges so fast, even teaching
strategies change so fast.
So always be learning.
The best type of teacher is ateacher that can also be a
(06:27):
student.
That's awesome.
Never stop learning.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
Never stop learning.
Absolutely, janie Olivari.
It's a pleasure having you ontoday.
Thank you so much.
I hope you have a greatexperience here at ASCD.
Asd Again, she joins us fromPleasanton ISD, Pleasanton,
Texas.
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Thank you.
Welcome to Spotlight for Success by American Book
Company.
I am Devin Pintosi, your host.
We are here in sunny SanAntonio, texas, at the ASCD ISTE
Conference 2025, and we are sohappy today to have our special
guest, janie Olivari.
She is here from Pleasanton ISDat Pleasanton High School in
(00:29):
Pleasanton, texas.
Thank you for joining us today,janie.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
It's my pleasure to be here, thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Wonderful.
Can you tell us a bit aboutwhat brings you here to ASCD,
isd?
Speaker 2 (00:38):
So anytime a teacher gets a chance to go to a
conference, they jump right onin, and especially ISTE.
It's one of the biggestconferences.
It has a lot of beneficialtechnology, software, teaching
strategies for teachers, and sothat's why I'm here today and
also teachers get a free daypass at the expo.
(01:00):
Oh, that is so awesome, soanything free is also, you know,
something that I'm going tojump at.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Free day pass?
Absolutely yeah, why not?
It's great.
It's right here in yourbackyard, that's right.
So can you tell me a bit aboutyour career as an educator in
Pleasanton High School?
Speaker 2 (01:21):
So I'll be starting my 26th year at Pleasanton High
School.
I'm actually a graduate ofPleasanton High School.
I'm actually a graduate ofPleasanton High School, so it's
fun to go back and teach at theschool that I graduated from.
So I've seen it change, youknow, over the years and evolve
into really a school that valuesthe students that attend.
We have great programs of studyfor our students.
(01:42):
I teach AV classes, whichincludes video editing, sound
editing, graphic design, and sobeing on this podcast here is
right up my alley.
We started a podcast about fiveyears ago.
It's been on a two-year hiatusbecause we can't find a
podcasting host, but I saw youall set up here and so I wanted
(02:03):
to see you know what thistechnology was about here that
you are using.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Oh, yeah, certainly we.
We appreciate that.
You know we're we're growingand learning as well as we go
through this process of doingthese podcasts, and it's just so
much fun and so rewarding to beable to learn from people like
yourself that are also learning,and podcasting is so new for a
lot of people still today.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
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, ebooksand online testing in grades K
(02:51):
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
(03:13):
electronic formats atabck12.com.
We look forward to hearing fromyou.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Can you tell me a bit about what you're hoping to get
out of your ASCD ISTEexperience that you're going to
take back to Pleasanton HighSchool?
Speaker 2 (03:29):
So, as a technology teacher, every year we get new
courses that we have to teach,some courses we teach year after
year, but this year I'll beteaching practicum and marketing
, and so I'm looking forcurriculum with entrepreneurship
, things that lend itself to themarketing pathway, I guess you
(03:50):
could say.
And so I just want to be ableto teach this class in a way
that's going to be fun for thekids, and so I'm looking for
professionals in that area oh,that's great.
I'm looking for professionalsin that area, oh, that's great.
And then, like I said, this too, I mean seeing the equipment
and new technologies that we canbring into our schools as well,
into our AV pathway oh, that isso awesome.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
Can you tell me why you got into teaching?
You definitely made this yourvocation.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Yes.
Well, when I graduated college,I did think I just wanted to be
a stay-at-home mom.
You know, I had just graduatedand I was going to have my first
child and that first year thatI stayed home I got really bored
.
I was like I feel like there'sso much more that I could be
doing in our world.
And then my husband was ineducation.
He was like you should go tothe alternative certification
(04:40):
pathway, you know program, andbecome a teacher that way.
And so I did, and that's how Ibecame a teacher.
I got bored at being at homethere you go, and so there
happened to be a businessposition opened at my high
school, which was my degree area, and so it just, it just all
fell into place the way I wassupposed to and that is so great
(05:01):
.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
Do you have a special memory you can share of, maybe
an interaction with the class orstudent where you're like, wow,
this is why I got into teaching?
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Well, I also do a business club called Business
Professionals of America, andreally that is my baby, that is
what makes my teachingprofession rewarding.
I mean, yes, seeing the kidsevery year, meeting new kids,
meeting new families, but kidsthat want to go into the
business field, the technologyfield.
They have goals, they haveaspirations.
(05:29):
We compete regional, state andnational level, and so that's
our goal every year is tocompete and to win, and so
that's what I really love aboutmy job is doing the business
club and working with kids thatare business-minded and have
those types of aspirations.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
That is wonderful.
Being able to do those clubsthat are taking kids to that
next level, yes, and you being apart of that, that's great.
That's got to be so rewarding.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Yes, it is.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
That's great.
So let me ask you do you have amessage you'd like to share
with the ASCD ISTE community?
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Every day is a time to learn.
As teachers, we know we neverstop learning, and so technology
changes so fast, softwarechanges so fast, even teaching
strategies change so fast.
So always be learning.
The best type of teacher is ateacher that can also be a
(06:27):
student.
That's awesome.
Never stop learning.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
Never stop learning.
Absolutely, janie Olivari.
It's a pleasure having you ontoday.
Thank you so much.
I hope you have a greatexperience here at ASCD.
Asd Again, she joins us fromPleasanton ISD, Pleasanton,
Texas.
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Thank you.
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