Heads of School Reminisce on their “Beautiful View” of Education and the Wonders of Childhood

In 2021, Head of School Cindi Gibbs-Wilborn scheduled a special Zoom date with Paula Carreiro, Beauvoir’s Head of School from 1992 to 2013 and one of Cindi’s own personal mentors. Today, Ms. Carreiro is a dedicated consultant, community volunteer, grandmother, and thought leader on early childhood education. Their conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

Cindi Gibbs-Wilborn: Paula, it’s been my dream since I arrived to bring the two of us together for a conversation and really honor you as a head of school who has left such a lasting legacy at Beauvoir. Anyone in the field of education knows that two decades devoted to a school is often the exception these days—unless, of course, you work at Beauvoir. What would you say are the aspects of your Beauvoir journey that led to such a long commitment?

Paula Carreiro: Not only is it a remarkable school for its students, but it also provides a growth culture for the adults who work there. Colleagues nurture and inspire one another to continually enhance the learning environment. I think the other thing that led me to stay is that there’s always something new happening, and no matter what’s on your calendar for the day, it doesn’t matter, because a million other things are going to happen. I always found, too, that I was challenged by different perspectives. And I really loved