Learning Together in a Special Place: Perspectives on Leadership
8th Annual Series
Organized by Angela Ferrario, International Study Tours, LLC, in collaboration with retreat facilitators.
New Location on the Island of Ischia
October 5-10, 2025
We have reached full capacity for the 2024 Mercatello Leadership Retreats and appreciate the excitement about travelling to Mercatello sul Metauro for the Leadership Retreats.
Click the button below and add your name and email address to be the first to receive information about future Leadership Retreats.
Join us on the stunning Island of Ischia, our newly featured "Special Place” where we will have exclusive accommodations at Il Monastero located in the medieval Aragonese Castle on an islet joined to Ischia by a stone bridge.
https://ilmonasterocastelloaragoneseischia.com/it/
Each retreat offers small group professional development complemented by sightseeing excursions, encounters with local artisans and delicious regional cuisine.
Learning becomes a travel journey where:
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Sharing ideas, challenges and experience is encouraged.
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Educational exchange is balanced with time to pursue moments of solo discovery.
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A comfortable retreat setting and outdoor environment bring energy to the dialogue.
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Engaging with other participants and the local community engenders new friendships and
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relationships.
Educational travel designed for:
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Emerging to seasoned leaders, who work or have worked in the field of education.
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Those seeking an authentic and transformative program.
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Travellers who appreciate the slower rhythm of small Italian towns.
We have reached full capacity for 2025...
...however, space may become available in the future. Please complete the form below to join our waitlist, and we will notify you promptly if an opening occurs.
Our October 2025 Facilitators:
Alison Maher, Visionary Director and Andrea Sisbarro, Advisor to the Team of Directors, Boulder Journey School Boulder, CO www.boulderjourneyschool.com
October 5-10, 2025
Educational Leadership:
Embracing a Strong Image of the School as a
Significant Feature in Society
The focus of this retreat is to challenge outdated leadership practices and systems within schools and to envision new forms of leadership that can help to re-shape the field of Early Childhood Education. The retreat will address personal, professional and political issues in our field and will offer time and space to innovate new solutions to positively impact both school and society.
During this retreat, we will socially construct answers to the following questions:
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What are the current complexities of school leadership?
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How can a strong pedagogy help us navigate, respond to, and influence the modern world?
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How do we increase participation and engage many voices?
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How do we continue to live our values within the daily moments of life at school?
" I can't recommend this transformative retreat enough. This opportunity was masterfully crafted to enhance every facet of my professional and personal self. The retreat’s emphasis on self-care, self-awareness, best practices, and building collegial relationships among esteemed colleagues was incredibly rejuvenating. Learning from the best in the field, the insights gathered are priceless. The innovative approaches and the chance to collaborate at such a high level truly set this retreat apart. I am empowered to lead with inquiry and intention and to embrace my truth as an educator (not just my capacity). Don't miss out—sign up today and experience this extraordinary journey for yourself! "
- Hilary Odoy
Attended June 2024 Retreat led by Alison and Andrea
Registration Information & Accommodations
Registration Fee: $2,950 USD per person
Register soon to secure your space as the group size is limited.
Room Accomodations:
Single room occupancy at Il Monastero located in the medieval Aragonese Castle on an islet joined to Ischia by a stone bridge.
Please Note: Accommodations, group transportation, group meals and local excursions are limited to 13 participants. If you plan to travel with family or friends, we kindly ask that you meet up prior to or upon completion of the retreat.
What’s Included:
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Transportation to port and hydrofoil from Naples to Ischia on Sunday, October 5
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Transportation from Ischia port to Il Monastero on Sunday, October 5
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Transportation to Ischia port from Il Monastero and hydrofoil from Ischia to Naples on Friday, October 10
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Upon return to Naples, transfer to Naples Airport
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Daily professional development sessions
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Single room accommodations for 5 nights at Il Monastero in Ischia
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Meals and excursions
Daily Itinerary
Our professional development meetings will be held in one of the large common areas at Il Monastero.
Access to local sites, artisans and regional cuisine is possible through a partnership with Italy travel expert Luisa Donati. Together with Angela Ferrario, series organizer, they will introduce you to everyday life on the island of Ischia.
Itinerary may be subject to slight changes.
Sunday
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Transportation by hydrofoil from Naples to Ischia
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Welcome dinner
Mon, Tue, Wed, Thurs
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8:00-9:30: Breakfast
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Daily group lunch and dinner
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Blocks of time for professional development sessions, visiting local shops and artisans, excursions including Negombo Thermal Spa.
Friday
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Morning departure after breakfast
Flight Arrangements
Participants are responsible for booking their own flight to Naples, Italy.
Sunday October 5, 2025
The group will be transported from the meeting point in Naples to the port and then onto Ischia by hydrofoil.
Meeting point and pick up time to be determined.
Required Documents
All U.S. Citizens require a passport that is valid a minimum of 6 months after their return date to the U.S. (For example, if you are departing from Italy on October 10, 2025 your passport must be valid through April 1, 2026.) If you are applying for or renewing a passport, plan accordingly and apply well in advance. Non-U.S. citizens should check entry and visa requirements.
"The respect for each individual was tangible and with that, we grew to be a community that shared interconnected visions of growing leadership complete with all the emotions that come with embracing multiple contexts and individual perspectives as we embraced, sometimes reluctantly, our life's journey.
I appreciated the pre-trip zooms for organized planning and meeting each other and receiving the reading material ahead of time. The pace of our days together hit all the marks. We had ample time to adjust for jet lag and a variety of ways and times to build relationships and reflect together through both play and work all of which, along with the amazing food and drink, nourished our bodies and souls. I am grateful to myself for saying "yes!" to this privileged opportunity and even more grateful that you offered it. I walked away with a fresh new perspective and am still reaping the benefits of our time together, speaking often to colleagues about the powers of being proactive in our own growing process, specifically, a deeper understanding of our own context in relation to others, parents as well as teachers."
- Roleen Heimann
Attended June 2024 Retreat led by Alison and Andrea
