If you are an educator or administrator who is dedicated to helping your students, school communities, and families during the school year, you are ready for one or two days of reflective retreat during the summer. You choose if you want to be there for one or both days — Join us for a relaxing and immersive program of renewal in nature with your education colleagues!

A host of wellness practitioners will facilitate restorative and generative workshops in yoga/movement, visual art, breath, play, sound, immune system support, and nature connection — all sessions you can use with your students come fall.

You will also be treated to morning snacks and a beautiful, healthy lunch. After time in nature and experiencing connection, everyone is sure to leave calm, refreshed, with lots of nourishing wellness ideas for self and students, and revitalized for the upcoming school year.

The best part is that it is free to you as a hard-working educator or you can choose to support future retreats with a donation. Come join the joyful day or two and let us give back to you!

Facilitated by several Maine-based wellness practitioners

Funded by several Maine-based foundations and education networks

Retreat Fee: $0-100 sliding scale Educator / Administrator

Teaching with Nature I: An Introduction to Nature Connection and Outdoor Learning is a single day education short course for teachers, childcare providers, therapists, and social workers, and school administrators. We will focus on culturally responsive nature connection and outdoor learning topics including: site and place awareness, safety and risk management, curriculum development, and natural history of local flora and fauna. Local naturalists and additional facilitators will be highlighted as needed for key activities and concepts. Participants will complete the hands-on, refreshing professional development workshop with a wealth of resources and information. The short course will provide participants with a strong baseline from which to delve deeper into outdoor- and community-based schooling for pre-K, kindergarten, and elementary-aged children (primarily for up to grade 5).

facilitated by Seal Rossignol & Anne Stires

Workshop Fee: $400*

*scholarship may be available

Teaching with Nature II: Social Emotional Learning and Nature Connection is a single day education course for teachers, childcare providers, therapists, and social workers, and school administrators. There is no better context to develop self awareness, practice relationship skills, engage in responsible decision making, and address the needs of the whole child, than when immersed in the natural world in a culturally responsive way. Nature connection provides the ideal structure for children to explore their interests, examine their emerging identities, and grow empathy for, and connection to, all living things. The course will provide participants will build on the concepts of Teaching with Nature I (not a prerequisite, but it is recommended) as a baseline from which to delve deeper into social emotional learning and nature connection topics for prekindergarten, kindergarten, and elementary and middle school-aged children (though grade 8).

facilitated by Kate Ziminsky & Anne Stires

Workshop Fee: $400*

*scholarship may be available

Welcome to Teaching with Nature III: Arts Integration and Nature Connection! This one-day workshop will be facilitated by elementary educator and artist, Kate Cass, and Anne Stires of Anne Stires Educational Consulting, LLC. Teaching with Nature lends itself so beautifully to experimenting with visual art, music, and movement. In this one-day short course, participants will have the opportunity to play with many types of project-based, nature-based art and consider curricular connections. Participants will do art, sing songs, learn a variety of low stakes, fun movement possibilities to incorporate into curriculum and with their students. No doubt everyone will leave with a smile, some art they made, and a few new skills!

facilitated by Kate Cass & Anne Stires

Workshop Fee: $400*

*scholarship may be available

Welcome to Teaching with Nature IV: Sensory Processing, Emotional Regulation, and Nature Connection! This one-day workshop will be facilitated by pediatric occupational therapist Sue Ford of Coorie Wellness, LLC and Anne Stires of Anne Stires Educational Consulting, LLC. During this interactive and collaborative event, educators will be introduced to concepts around nature connected sensory processing and what regulation looks like in the outdoor classroom. They will also learn about how students' hierarchy of needs helps to structure and adapt learning activities for success. Participants will be able to experience the benefits of incorporating daily practice of setting intentions, mindfulness, and self “check-ins” to promote self-regulation, transition tolerance, and flexibility in play, learning, and conceptual understanding. Educators will practice applying strategies, problem solve scenarios, and build their own “tool box” of activities for supporting regulation and individual sensory needs in the outdoor classroom. Participants will complete the fun-filled and refreshing professional development workshop with a wealth of resources and information. The workshop will provide participants with a strong baseline from which to delve deeper into nature connection and outdoor-/community-based schooling for prekindergarten, kindergarten, and elementary-aged children (primarily for up to grade 5).

facilitated by Sue Ford & Anne Stires

Workshop Fee: $400*

*scholarship may be available