AUSTIN – For the first time, a free weekend-long retreat is now open to Dallas-Fort Worth-area public school teachers.  

The retreat is organized by a non-profit called the Holdsworth Center in Austin, which aims to celebrate and honor public educators by giving them some rest and relaxation.  

“This is very uncommon,” said Mark Rogers, a fifth-grade teacher.

This is the fourth retreat and teachers who’ve attended before said it’s a pivotal weekend that has changed how they step into their classrooms.  

“I feel like we were treated like the royalty that we are always told we are, that teachers, oh you are superheroes, I don’t know how you do it,” said Leigh Burnell, a fifth-grade teacher.

The haven is packed with gourmet food, exercise, animals and world-class workshops.

“When I’m feeling recharged and ready to get in there, my kids feel that,” said Burnell. “They are getting the best of me.”

For 150 randomly selected recipients, they’ll get the encouragement to head back to the books.

“It’s one of the most rewarding things I’ve been to in my life,” said Gregory Jacob, a business management teacher. “I was able to relax and rejuvenate and be on vacation mode in the middle of the school year. That doesn’t happen often, so when you have the opportunity, please go, jump at it, and make the most of it.”  

To nominate your favorite teacher, head to teacherretreat.org.

The application is simple and anyone can nominate their favorite educator.

The weekend is scheduled for Oct. 18-20, and for teachers who are selected, organizers will let them know by Sept. 6. 

The final day to submit is Friday, Aug. 30.