Kylie Altier

Portrait by Romero & Romero

When 2024 Louisiana State Teacher of the Year Kylie Altier was a little girl, she struggled with dyslexia. Though she didn’t know the official term for it, she knew reading was harder for her than other children. But her first grade teacher, Ms. Valentine, reached out to her and bolstered her self-confidence. Not only did it improve her self-esteem, it made her want to be a teacher one day.

“Ms. Valentine made me feel really special,” Altier said. “She made me feel seen, that I could be like her.”

The 31-year-old Altier is in her 11th year of teaching. Most of that time has been spent with first graders — she currently teaches first grade at McKinley Elementary School in Baton Rouge. She grew up outside of Orlando, Florida and moved to Louisiana three years ago when her husband got a job with LSU.

In her second decade of teaching, Altier still gets a rush from the “deep connection” she feels with her students and seeing the have that “ah-ha!” moment because they truly understand what she is teaching.

The work wasn’t always easy for Altier. She initially stayed late every day working on lesson plans and arrived at school before the first class of the day. She wanted to be great for every child, every day. However, after she had her first child (Altier has a 4-year-old daughter and a 3-year-old son), she realized she had to let go of the relentless quest for perfection.

Altier still strove to do the best for her students, but she learned that taking time for herself with her family could enhance her teaching. She remembers being home with her daughter shortly after giving birth. Her daughter was spitting up a lot that day and crying. Altier felt at wit’s end but smiled at her little girl and her daughter smiled back. That moment taught Altier a lesson about teaching.

“What I’m teaching is important, but  being present and loving those children is equally important,” Altier said. “The power of relationships is my greatest power in the classroom.”

To build relationships, she lets her students decorate the classroom. She also runs the garden at McKinley and works with students in the garden. She created a website called ReadWithKylie.com to help parents teaching their young children to read. She also recently received a grant to work on creating an outdoor classroom, which can be particularly beneficial for students with ADHD or other sensory issues.

When asked what Louisiana has meant to her in her three years in the Pelican State, Altier said she has been blown away by people’s willingness to help. She has asked architects, gymnasts, professors and many more to come to her school and give lessons to children. They are almost always eager to do so.

“I’ve never seen this kind of true support in a community before,” Altier said. “They make me feel like I’m not alone.”