Rejuvenate: Exploring Leadership, Hospitality, and Flourishing
On October 22-23, Baylor Center for School Leadership (BCSL) hosted 50 educators in Waco for Rejuvenate, a leadership retreat focused on individual leadership that flows into the work on their campuses. From a kickoff dinner to a day of professional learning, these educators leaned into personal commitments and hospitality that can transform the communities they serve.
Rejuvenate began with a kickoff dinner that invited participants to experience a culture of leadership centered on hospitality. Dinner conversation focused on reflecting on times when leaders had experienced unreasonable hospitality and how they might extend that same hospitality to colleagues and students.
Dante Turnipseed shared how a family allowed him to use their house just two days after arriving in Tennessee. This act of generosity provided support as he stepped into his role as an educator and coach at King’s Academy. Being extended that level of hospitality has shaped how he leads in the classroom and as a coach.
Throughout the dinner, educators considered how to shift toward a culture of abundance that allows communities to focus on bringing their strengths to create spaces where people feel seen, valued, and welcomed. Adam Nulph, a Waco ISD educator, shared how the conversation helped him move from viewing hospitality as uncomfortable to recognizing the importance of embracing the support others are willing to provide.
The next day, educators gathered at Baylor University for a day of professional learning focused on lasting growth and change. The morning centered on identifying an adaptive personal commitment that challenged educators to identify a meaningful change that would be evident to others. Many of these commitments focused on becoming more present, intentional, and relational in their leadership. Participants were encouraged to share their adaptive personal commitment with someone who could provide encouragement and accountability.
Friday afternoon led participants through affinity groups that allowed them to explore current topics impacting leadership. Knowing there is no single path to better leadership, educators selected topics that resonated with them and joined others exploring those ideas through discussion and reflection. Sessions explored topics such as Reframing Organizations by Bolman & Deal, Dare to Lead by Brené Brown, The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt, Situated by Angela Duckworth, and The Power of Fun by Catherine Price. Each focused on providing excerpts from the book and conversations that examined how leaders can create the conditions for people to flourish.
Rejuvenate equipped educators to pursue the kind of leadership that begins with personal growth and flows into the flourishing of the communities they serve. As participants return to their schools, they bring new commitments and insights that strengthen relationships and support flourishing in the communities they serve. This reflects the BCSL’s mission to be the most effective Christian leadership catalyst for educators worldwide by preparing and nourishing leaders.