Turning the Page Together: A New England Literary Adventure for St. Paul’s Teachers

At St. Paul’s, we believe that great teachers never stop learning. Through the Gates Faculty Enrichment Grant, our educators can pursue experiences that spark curiosity, deepen relationships, and bring fresh inspiration back to the classroom.

This June, five of our Lower School teachers—Amy Shaff, Libby Huggins, Becky Nash, Joey Waldrup, and Gretchen Beilharz—visited New England together, combining their shared love of books with opportunities to explore history and enjoy each other’s company.

Over the course of four days, the group traveled through Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire, with a memorable day trip to Nantucket. Along the way, they visited 11 independent bookstores, attended a book signing with bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand, toured the Harvard campus, walked Boston’s historic Freedom Trail, and explored the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

For these self-described “book nerds,” every stop offered inspiration.

“We had a wonderful time!” shared fifth grade teacher Becky Nash. “Aside from getting a chance to spend time outside of school with this incredible group of women, I loved how many places we were able to visit in just a few days. We covered a lot of ground and visited some incredible bookstores and beautiful places I wasn’t sure I would ever have a chance to visit.”

Fourth grade teacher Joey Waldrup summed up the experience well, “5 friends, 4 states, and 1 island, 11 independent book shops, 1 author signing, endless hours of beautiful weather, countless laughs. Love my fellow book nerds. What. A. Trip.”

While the itinerary was packed with literary landmarks and iconic destinations, one of the greatest takeaways was the opportunity for these colleagues to spend meaningful time together outside the classroom. Shared experiences like these strengthen friendships, encourage collaboration, and create connections that carry back into the halls of St. Paul’s.

“Travel is such a wonderful opportunity, and the fact that we could experience this together was truly special. Our experiences show the value in traveling and creating experiences with the ones you love and care for," noted fifth grade teacher, Libby Huggins.

The Gates Faculty Enrichment Grant continues to make these transformative experiences possible, investing in our faculty so they can continue inspiring a lifelong love of learning in the next generation. Ms. Huggins said it best, “I cannot say enough positive things about the time we had. Thanks for all the effort everyone put into the grant proposal and the planning, and a HUGE thanks to the Gates family for gifting us such an amazing opportunity.”