Getting Off Site

Inspiration: An off-site meeting.

There's something important about meeting as a staff outside of the school. Taking time to come together in a new or different environment, enables the conversation to focus on the actions in the space, rather than the space itself. The physical distance becomes a mental and emotional difference.

Of course, that same effect is essential for social gatherings. The resilience that the teaching job demands forces us to have an outside passion or burn out.

Our first staff retreat was at a house up in the mountains near Palm Springs. A huge advantage was the remoteness and the ability to have that late-night bonding which can happen. Forcing people out of their comfort zone can be great as you get to know each other.

On the other hand, the cost in money, time, and comfort makes it an untenable plan as the staff becomes more family-centric.

Our second retreat was on-site, which I think hampered some of the conversation; but did enable us to meet in a safe(r) space and start with Mass in our Church.

My hope is to find a daytime place in the Los Angeles area for a possible end of year retreat or our beginning of the year retreat. Are there ideas out there for locals?