Kent Sabbatical Spotlight #5: Haley Paglia

Every summer, our faculty members have the unique opportunity to travel the world and immerse themselves in enriching experiences, thanks to the Kent Summer Sabbatical Program! This program was created and endowed in 1999 by a generous gift from the Kent Family Foundation, Mr. and Mrs. E. Robert Kent, Jr., P’89, GP’20 and Josephine Kent Lemken, 1989, P’20. 

Earlier this month, the faculty members who traveled this past summer shared highlights of their trips with their colleagues at a special sabbatical showcase. Every week for the next eight weeks, we will share an article highlighting each teacher's experience. From exploring the written word in Rome and trekking through Acadia National Park in Maine, to walking around the pond made famous by Monet's paintings and participating in a tea ceremony in Japan, our faculty are so grateful for these remarkable and memorable experiences.

Kent Sabbatical Spotlight #5: Haley Paglia

Haley Paglia, Lower School Learning Specialist and RPCS graduate from the Class of 2011, traveled to Italy with her husband during her Kent Sabbatical. After studying abroad in Rome for a summer, she had always wanted to return and is incredibly grateful that the Kent Summer Sabbatical Program allowed her to live out that dream. It was especially meaningful to take this trip with her husband, whose family has Italian roots. 

They began their excursion in Rome, where they explored the Piazza di Spagna, the Spanish Steps, Trinità dei Monti, the Trevi Fountain, the Roman Forum and the Colosseum, as well as Campo de’ Fiori, a vibrant neighborhood Haley had visited during her time studying abroad, where they were enjoyed live Italian music. 

A highlight for Haley was visiting the Roma Tre University’s Museo della Scuola e dell’Educazione (MuSEd–Mauro Laeng Museum of School and Education), where she explored the history of schooling and pedagogy in Italy. She specifically enjoyed learning about the origins of Pinocchio, which is set in the Tuscan countryside—another stop on Haley’s journey. Pinocchio-themed shops and exhibits were featured throughout Rome, celebrating the story’s educational and cultural roots.

On their final day in Rome, Haley toured the Nazionale Romano (National Roman Museum), where she was able to explore the history of written communication in ancient Rome. Haley commented that “Since our second-grade students study ancient Egypt and explore how early civilizations communicated, it was fascinating to see connections in Roman culture. I viewed some of the world’s oldest inscriptions, writing tools, and tablets, which offered an authentic perspective on how Romans recorded and shared ideas.”

From there, they traveled to Florence, where they immersed themselves in local traditions, culinary arts, and culture. They participated in a pasta-making class, toured the Duomo and explored Florence’s historic markets. They also discovered several children-centered bookstores designed to spark a love of reading—spaces that reminded Haley of the importance of joyful literacy experiences for young learners.

In Tuscany, Haley and her husband learned about the region’s culinary traditions and visited the stunning coastal towns of Cinque Terre before traveling to Venice, where they spent two days exploring its canals, architecture, and history. They visited Campo de Ghetto Novo, the first Jewish ghetto in Europe, established in 1516, and toured the synagogues, museum, and Holocaust Monument to learn about this significant chapter in history, before visiting Doge’s Palace, where they explored the seat of Venetian government and admired the city’s distinctive Gothic and Renaissance architecture. And of course, they couldn’t leave Venice without taking a picturesque gondola ride through the canals.

Haley reflected that, “This sabbatical experience offered an incredible opportunity to immerse myself in Italy’s language, history of education, and culture. I returned inspired by the educational traditions I encountered and look forward to bringing this global perspective and renewed sense of curiosity into my classroom.”