Announcing the Charlotte Mason Together Retreat

For many years now I’ve been on the lookout for the perfect location at which to hold a gathering of all of us, my Charlotte Mason friends (and I count you as one of those friends) and I. Because I wanted this get-together to be very special, I had a long list of requirements for the place where we would gather. I’ve been keeping my eyes open, looking for the special place, for years, but I didn’t really have much success finding that perfect spot — until now.

I am thrilled to announce the Charlotte Mason Together Retreat to be held July 25 through 27, 2019, at the Atlanta Evergreen Marriott Conference Resort.

This place has everything that was on my list—and more!

And guess what. It’s only a few minutes from my home! Who knew that the best retreat location was so close?

Here’s what you can expect. This is what was on my list.

I wanted beautiful nature surroundings. Well, this resort sits inside a park, historic Stone Mountain Park, which preserves more than 3,000 acres of natural beauty, including 15 miles of nature trails, a stunning mountain of granite, a songbird habitat, and a 360-acre lake.

I also wanted a lovely resort hotel, where all of my Charlotte Mason friends could come together and relax in style and comfort. I stay in a lot of hotels in my travels, and I know the difference between a purely utilitarian place-to-lay-your-head vs. a lovely resort. So believe me when I tell you that this hotel is very nice. Beautiful lakeside or poolside balconies off the rooms, very comfortable rooms. Bring three friends and split the room charge four ways to make it very affordable luxury. There’s a refrigerator in each room, so you can bring your favorite beverages and snacks and have a sleepover! You’ll also enjoy the attentive and friendly staff, maid service(!), cozy conversation nooks, a great coffee cafe, several on-site restaurants to choose from, and plenty of free parking—all nestled amongst the gorgeous scenery of Stone Mountain Park.

Now, I really wanted this retreat to be a place where my Charlotte Mason friends could also feel refreshed by opportunities to play and do the things you love to do. Rest if you want to; play if you want to. Well, here you will have a beautiful indoor pool and an outdoor pool, a hot tub and a fitness center. We’ll have some delicious catered meals and give you an opportunity to try your hand at brush drawing.

Plus, if you pop around to the other side of the lake, you can enjoy the family-friendly attractions of Stone Mountain Park: boating, historic houses and museums, the historic carving on the mountain, ropes courses, a petting farmyard, a scenic railroad trip around the mountain, adventure golf, a sky-ride up to the top of the mountain, and more! There are even two 18-hole championship golf courses inside the park. So if your husband or the whole family wants to come along and make this a destination vacation, you can rest assured that there will be plenty of wonderful, wholesome activities for them to do while you’re enjoying the retreat. Oh! and the nightly laser show that is projected on the side of the mountain is not to be missed! I think we’re going to have to make plans to attend that.

Do you see why I’m excited about this location? Its perfect for rest and refreshment. It also has beautiful meeting facilities where we can gather for workshops and learning sessions. I’m thrilled that my good friend Richele Baburina will be joining us. You may know her from her popular Charlotte Mason Elementary Arithmetic books. My friend Allyson Adrian from Cherrydale Press will also be there to talk about teaching foreign language, high school, and running a Charlotte Mason group. I will be sharing some encouragement as well. It’s going to be a great time to help you refocus on Charlotte Mason principles and methods as you prepare for the school year. There will be Q&A panels, short lessons, and even a handful of personal consultation times available over the weekend. Register early and sign up for those time slots right away; they will probably fill up fast!

So you can see why I am so looking forward to seeing you at the Charlotte Mason Together Retreat. It’s going to have everything: a lovely place for rest, a variety of opportunities to refresh your spirit, and a great line-up of speakers who will help you refocus as you teach your precious children in a Charlotte Mason way.

Many of you have been waiting for a chance to meet your online friends in person. Those of you on the SCM forum or on our FaceBook discussion group, here’s your opportunity to get together and spend some time face to face, enjoying each other’s company and encouraging each other all weekend.

Save the dates: July 25 through 27, 2019. Registration will open soon. Sign up to receive e-mail updates that will give you insider information about the speakers and the sessions, the schedules and price increases.

Which reminds me. Let me give you a huge tip: watch for registration to open on Black Friday. That’s right, the day after Thanksgiving, November 23, just a few days away. For just a couple of days, you will be able to register for the retreat at a huge discount. You will never see a lower price than the one that will be available for Black Friday. Don’t miss it! Especially if you’re interested in grabbing one of those personal consultation sessions, register on Black Friday.

If you’re looking for a great holiday gift idea, this is it! Tell your friends. Tell your spouses. Tell everybody. We would love for the retreat to fill up at that very special lowest price on November 23.

I want this retreat to be a time when all of my Charlotte Mason friends, from all over the world, come together for a delightful weekend. I would love to see you there! So save the date: July 25–27, 2019. And check the SCM website on Black Friday for the best registration discount on the Charlotte Mason Together Retreat.

Let’s get together!

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