Born and raised in New Iberia, Louisiana, Noel Migues Boutte has spent her career teaching at her alma mater, New Iberia Senior High.
After earning her bachelor’s in secondary education and math from the Â鶹AV, she stepped into the classroom. For more than 15 years, that’s where she’s made her mark.
Boutte had always wanted to be in the classroom. But after a decade, she started to wonder how she could keep growing.
“I was looking at what new goals I could set for myself, and I decided to get my master’s,” Boutte says.
That goal led her back to Â鶹AV for the hybrid Master of Education in Educational Leadership. The program is designed for teachers ready to advance their careers without stepping away from the classroom.
Finding the Right Program Fit
When it came time to return to school, Â鶹AV’s M.Ed. in Educational Leadership stood out for its format.
“I looked into a couple of other programs, but I felt hybrid was best for me,” she says. “I needed to talk to people. I needed to be in a classroom at least once a week.”
In the program, students take two courses each semester, meeting with one class face-to-face each week. On weeks you don't meet with your class, coursework is done online.
That mix of in-person and online coursework offered structure and community, making a huge difference in a hectic season of life.
“I found out I was accepted into grad school on my honeymoon,” she says. “Then I moved, started teaching again, and by Fall I found out I was pregnant. Within two years, I got married, moved cities, had a baby, and finished grad school.”
Through it all, her professors and classmates offered constant support.
“They gave me grace when I needed it,” Boutte says.
“I did an assignment in the hospital the day after having a baby. My professors let me Zoom when I couldn’t drive to Lafayette, and my classmates knew it was my first child, so they helped however they could.”
Growth, Connection, and Leadership
Boutte says the program helped her strengthen skills she uses daily in the classroom, like collaboration and understanding different perspectives.
“We spent a lot of time learning to respect others’ thought processes,” she says. “Other people have creative solutions, and their thought process is also valid.”
She also valued meeting teachers across her district — connections she wouldn’t have made otherwise.
“My favorite part was working with people from Iberia Parish who I wouldn’t have met if it weren't for this program,” she says.
For now, Boutte is content in the classroom, waiting for the right opportunity.
“I’m not just going to jump at a role because it’s there,” she says. “I want to wait for the one where I’ll thrive. I love teaching, and I love my students.”
Her advice for future students considering the hybrid program?
“Just do it,” she says. “It’s going to be challenging, and you’re going to have to juggle some things. But if I can do it, anyone can. You’re always going to be busy — but you won’t regret it once it’s done.”
Advance your teaching career with an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from Â鶹AV.