Former Jefferson principal Leigh Ragsdale organizing teachers retreat

Former principal of Jefferson Elementary in Cape Girardeau, Leigh Ragsdale, announced Friday she will be hosting a retreat for teachers this fall, inspired by her Cheers 2 Teachers community.

"Teachers are the rock, they are the backbone of our nation, of our world and of the future. We gotta take care of our teachers because if we don't, young people aren't going to go into the professions, and then what? We have to start taking action and taking care of our teachers more than we have now, more than ever," Ragsdale said.

Leigh Ragsdale will hold a teachers retreat -- Cheers 2 Teachers in November.Submitted

According to Ragsdale, the retreat will focus on personal and professional development by reviewing trauma informed practices, inclusion, diversity, equity, along with water aerobics, mediation, yoga, dance, kayaking, tennis and more.

Ragsdale was inspired to create the retreat when she first created the Cheers 2 Teachers Facebook group at the end of last year. She said before that, she was already part of teacher and principal Facebook groups.

"Then I am in a teacher group and here was a post, and it hurt my heart. It was like, 'How many of you are now on medication because of the stress and anxiety?' Girl, there was like, 978 comments on that post, saying, 'Me,' 'I'm on antidepressants,' 'I'm on anti anxiety medication,' 'I'm self medication,' 'I'm drinking,' 'I'm not sleeping. I'm taking sleep aides,' 'I'm seeking counseling and therapy,'" Ragsdale said.

She said this post made her realize thousands of kids were being taught by teachers who aren't well, and she wanted to do something to help. It caused her to create the Cheers 2 Teachers group, which has grown to over 3000 educators from all over the world in three months.

Ragsdale said the group is a community aiming to have teachers support, uplift and celebrate each other.

"We can't just talk about teacher wellness. We can't talk about teacher trauma. We can't talk about self care. We can't just keep piling on more and more on teachers' plates. We gotta start taking off of their plates, but we can do that through action. Through this retreat, it will be a living, breathing experience, that my hope and goal is for it to last with them forever," she said.

The retreat will run Nov. 7 through Nov. 9 at the Old Kinderhook Resort near the Lake of the Ozarks in Camdenton, Missouri. More information about the retreat can be found at leighmragsdale.com/2021-retreat.