Teacher Retreats
The Early Learning Coalition of Sarasota County is excited to announce the dates and details for our first-ever Early Educator Restorative Retreats! A special day designed just for our hardworking teachers and directors.
Saturday, November 8 – Sarasota, Carlisle Inn
Saturday, November 15 – Venice, Venice Golf and Country Club
8:00 am – 2:30pm | Free breakfast, lunch, and a dessert station provided
This is the same retreat offered twice—a mirror-image event conveniently hosted in two locations. That way, you can choose ONE date and place that works best for you.
Open to all directors and teachers currently caring for infants, toddlers, pre-k or VPK children in Sarasota County. This FREE retreat is rooted in the trail of trauma following recent hurricane seasons, compounded by the difficult daily stressors you, as early educators, carry in your work and lives.
This will be an “unplugged” event:
❌ No PowerPoints
❌ No CEUs
❌ No Stress
It’s about giving our early educators a space to pause, reflect, relax, and eat some great food!
Due to the tremendous amount of early excitement and interest, coupled with limited seats, we want to give everyone a fair chance, so here’s the plan! Seats will be filled by submitting an “interest form” which will be placed into a random drawing system - think names pulled out of a hat. To honor those who work with us to take additional steps to enhance quality programming, Look for the Stars providers will have their own drawing pool for a designated percentage of seats. All other early educators will be entered into a separate pool, with remaining seats distributed through this same random selection process.
Names will be drawn no later than October 6. Everyone will be contacted via email, regardless of outcome.
Check out our amazing lineup of speakers and sessions offered at BOTH retreats:
Dr. Nefertiti Poyner, Devereux Center for Resilient Children: A nationally acclaimed early childhood specialist and resilience expert, Dr. Poyner will present her keynote session titled Building Your Bounce, focusing on adult resilience. Participants will explore the positive impact of four key protective factors—healthy relationships, positive internal beliefs, initiative, and self-control. Through simple, engaging exercises, they will practice using thoughts, behaviors, and actions that strengthen these protective factors. After lunch, Dr. Poyner will return to lead a session of the same name, highlighting strategies to nurture resilience in children, leaving participants equipped with practical tools for both personal well-being and professional growth. Dr. Nefertiti Poyner
Maria Schaedler-Luera, Atomica Arts: A Brazilian-born Suncoast educator, artist, consultant, and speaker, Maria works to bridge theater, mindfulness, music, and cross-cultural engagement. She will host a workshop titled Awakening Resilience Through the Senses and Imagination, highlighting simple, science-based practices that weave imagination with the five senses—breath, touch, taste, sound, and sight—to reduce stress and restore balance. Participants will leave with practical tools to spark their own creativity, presence, and well-being. Maria Schaedler-Luera
Virginia Bibler, Gulf Coast Music Therapy: A nationally certified music therapist specializing in young children with special needs, and owner of Gulf Coast Music Therapy, Virginia will host a workshop titled Singing Through The Storm. She will explore how music influences the mind and body, lead a “call and response” stress-release acapella song, and guide breakout groups in creating their own songs. Through collective music-making and community building, participants will feel both grounded and energized. Virginia Bibler
Blair Bloomston, Leaders Uplifted: The consultant, instructional designer and founder + CEO of Leaders Uplifted, Blair will host an energetic session titled Staying in the Game where she will facilitate fun icebreakers as well as low-stakes, laughter-filled, games that focus on risk-taking. She’ll illustrate how playful bravery builds real-life confidence and motivation. Participants will leave with simple, joy-centered strategies they can use to recharge themselves and their classrooms. Blair Bloomston
We’re excited to be able to offer this kind of event for you, our early educators, because you deserve it. So often, you pour everything into your children—this is your moment to pour back into yourself.
Stay in the loop—follow us on social media for all the latest retreat news!
Any questions? Want to be sure your teachers’ emails are added to our distribution list?
Reach out anytime: Ana McClendon: amcclendon@elcsarasota.org
Our Early Educator Restorative Retreats are made possible thanks to two generous $25,000 grants from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County and the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, along with a $500 boost from United Way Suncoast. The ELC is deeply grateful for this commitment to the early learning workforce and for investing in the mental health, resilience, and well-being of the vital teachers who nurture our community’s littlest learners.