Registration for this offering will open soon.
A Weekend Overnight Courage to Lead® Retreat for K-12 Educators – “A Planned Pause for the Whole Leader”
In education, we often speak of supporting the whole child, and more recently, the whole teacher. But what about the whole leader?
This Courage to Lead® retreat for K-12 leaders (teacher leaders, principals, assistant principals, superintendents, and others in leadership roles) offers time and space to reflect, and renew your spirit, reconnect who you are with what you do within a trusted community of peers.
As a leader, you’re called upon to hold space for others—to guide, support, and make steady decisions amidst uncertainty. Yet, in doing so, your own needs, values, and well-being often take a backseat. This retreat is an invitation to turn toward yourself with compassion and curiosity, to step outside the swirl of school life, and to remember what sustains you.
Bring all of who you are—your questions, your clarity, your weariness, and your hope—and be met with reflection, rest, and meaningful connection. Together, we’ll explore how relational trust—the foundation of healthy schools—begins with deep listening to ourselves and each other.
About Courage to Lead®
Rooted in the work of Parker J. Palmer, Courage to Lead® is based on the belief that authentic leadership flows from the identity and integrity of the leader.
This retreat is not about techniques, tools, or strategies. It offers something deeper:
- Time to reflect on who you are—not just what you do
- Space to consider why you lead and how to sustain yourself in the work
- A chance to deepen your ability to lead with courage, clarity, and compassion
- Strengthen your capacity for self-awareness, listening and reflection.
Through the Circle of Trust® approach—developed by Parker Palmer and the Center for Courage & Renewal—you will be guided through a process that honors confidentiality, deep listening, and personal discernment.
What You’ll Experience During the Retreat
Surrounded by nature and supported by a safe and intentional community, you’ll experience:
- A spacious, confidential environment where you can slow down and just be
- Reflective practices: journaling, silence, storytelling, poetry, nature walks
- Experiences that deepen relational trust, within yourself and with others
- No pressure to perform—only the invitation to explore what matters most to you
- Time to rest, restore, and reconnect with your purpose and calling
- Gentle structure designed to foster insight, clarity, and community
Who Is This For?
This retreat is for educational leaders (teacher leaders, principals, assistant principals, superintendents, and others in leadership roles) who are ready to:
✔ Step away from the busyness of daily leadership
✔ Reflect on their identity, values, and purpose
✔ Reconnect with the inner wisdom that sustains strong, ethical leadership
✔ Explore the role of relational trust in building healthy school communities
✔ Listen deeply to themselves and others
✔ Be in authentic community with fellow leaders
✔ Reclaim their joy and resilience
You don’t need to prepare anything. Just come as you are—with openness and a willingness to pause.
Retreat Details – Weekend Overnight
Dates:
📍 Begins: Friday, July 31, 2026, 4:00 pm Central Time
📍 Ends: Sunday, August 2, 2026, 1:00 pm Central Time
Location: Cedar Valley Retreat Center in West Bend, WI
What’s Included:
- Two nights of overnight accommodations (private or shared rooms)
- All meals from Friday dinner to Sunday lunch
- All retreat materials and facilitation
What to Bring:
- Comfortable clothing and shoes for reflection and light movement
- A journal or notebook
- An open heart and mind
Why Say Yes?
Because as a leader, you need time to:
- Step away from the urgency of leadership
- Reflect on what matters most
- Deepen your capacity to lead with courage and relational trust
- Reconnect with your own joy, wisdom, and voice
- Return renewed—in heart, mind, and purpose
If you have questions, please feel free to reach out to Kirstin Anglea, one of the retreat facilitators with the Center for Courage & Renewal. She can be reached at kirstin@couragerenewal.org
