The New Teacher Retreat has quickly become an annual event for the Missouri District. Alan Freeman, Assistant to the President for Schools, says, “The research tells us that teachers are more likely to leave the field in their first five years of teaching. That’s a shame because it takes a while to really get the hang of teaching. It’s such a demanding—but rewarding profession—if we help shepherd new teachers through the start of their career, we can help set them up for the long-term.”

The Lutheran education system is a large part of the LCMS heritage. Schools have always been important to our congregations, from the founding days to modern times. As times have changed, schools have become a significant source of outreach.

While previous decades saw schools populated directly from their partner congregations, the new reality is that many students are the family’s first introduction to the LCMS. Attracted by the quality and positive environment of the schools, parents are bringing their children directly into the path of the Gospel. Teachers are instrumental in crafting the kind of quality, Christ-centered school environment parents crave.

When a teacher starts their career, they may be one of a handful of first-to-third year teachers in the entire school. But on the New Teacher Retreat, they’re surround by professionals dealing with the same transition they are, and they feel less alone as they get their arms around the learning how to manage the classroom, schedules, parents, administration relationships and more.