Notes:
Please pay close attention to event dates. If you are interested in participating, you may need to register or RSVP at least one week prior to the event starting. We will be working with our teachers and presenters at that time to see if enrollment warrants cutting off registration or possibly canceling the event. We appreciate your understanding.
Child Care is available for many events. Please follow the links in the event description to register.
Meet The Teacher
Meet the Teacher Nights
Please stop in to meet our teachers, hear our plans for the year, and tour our learning center!
March 5th, April 29th, & May 12
From 5:30 to 6:30
Open to all!
Meet The Teacher
Meet the Teacher Nights
Please stop in to meet our teachers, here our plans for the year and tour our learning center!
March 5th, April 29th, & May 12
From 5:30 to 6:30
Open to all!
Energy = Reinforcement
Energy = Reinforcement
Understanding and Intervening Appropriately to Problematic Behaviors
with Stephen Sommers, LPC
This parent night session unpacks the science of reinforcement and how children’s behavior—both helpful and challenging—is shaped by the energy adults give it. Families learn to recognize the patterns that keep problematic behaviors going and explore practical, compassionate strategies for shifting them. Through real examples and easy-to-apply tools, parents leave with a clearer understanding of how to respond in ways that build regulation, connection, and positive change.
Join Counselor Stephen Sommers, LPC from Beljan Psychological Services & The Gifted Collective for a fun and informative evening.
Also tour our our learning center and chat with our Founder & Lead Teacher!
Free Event - Open to all
Please RSVP HERE
Child Care is available for this event for $15 - Link to register & pay
Homeschool Coffee Chat
Homeschool Coffee Chat
Thank you for your interest in our Homeschool Coffee Chat Event co-hosted by The Gifted Collective and Serna Educational Services. This event will be hosted both in-person in Phoenix, AZ and online. The purpose of this event is to provide resources and support to families around education (i.e. options, challenges, curriculum, SPED). There are no sales of any kind involved with this event. Our intention is to provide a space for families to feel supported and to find answers to questions.
Date: Friday, April 3, 2026
Time: 10 am - 11 am (in person in Phoenix, AZ)
11 am - noon (AZ/PT), 1-2 pm (CDT), 2-3 pm (EDT) (online option)
Cost: FREE!
In-Person Location: The Gifted Collective, 15255 N 40th St Building #6, Phoenix, AZ 85032 (Cross Streets: Highway 51 and Greenway Rd.). Call (623) 986-8408 if you need directions or have any questions.
Online (via Zoom): A Zoom link will be emailed to you closer to the event date.
Who Can Attend? Any parent/family who is actively (or wanting to learn more about) homeschooling/educating at home and/or other educational options - as well as their children (in person only) - are invited to attend! We serve families across the United States.
Hosts: Adam Laningham, owner/CEO of The Gifted Collective, is the "Gifted Guru", specializing in supporting neurodivergent children. Brenda Serna, Founder & CEO of Serna Educational Services, is the "education" expert, including homeschooling.
PLEASE NOTE: If you are a business owner, serving the homeschooling community, please refrain from sharing about your business. This event is intended as an opportunity for families to discuss questions, challenges, and support needs. There may be an option in the future to be able to advertise your business. If you would like to join our interest list, please send an email to Admin@SernaEducationalServices.com. Thank you for understanding.
Purpose of Event:
Connections with other parents
We want to hear from you! Tell us what homeschool-related information and resources you need to be successful.
Connections with homeschooling and neurodivergent experts, as well as other resources
What To Expect (all at no cost!)?
Coffee and treats (in-person event only)
Meet and chat with other parents
Connection with homeschool/educational resources
Talk with a homeschool/education expert
Children's activities (in-person event only)
Looking for more information about this event?
Please send an email to Admin@SernaEducationalServices.com with the subject line of "Homeschool Coffee Chat Event - April 3, 2026".
Here is the registration link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfMCEldU2vWYcZrkGXSCbftOAYqnhBPReNf6roFLs_yC0bPIg/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=106912490565990430742
The New Rules of Parenting!
Parent Night & Open House
The New Rules of Parenting!
Digital Age - New Parenting Rules?
Your child is part of the first generation that grows up with tablets and mobile phones. Their brains might be wired differently from any generation in history. If you’ve ever felt that your child is too sensitive, too intense, or simply doesn’t fit the old system—and that you are expected to have all the answers—take a breath. You’re not alone.
I’m Otto Siegel, Genius Coach, and for over two decades, I’ve worked with families who are ready for something different. Join this presentation about the new role of parents today: creating emotional safety, trusting curiosity, and guiding children to grow into who they already are.
No blame. No labels. Just new rules that actually work.
Also tour our our learning center and chat with our Founder & Lead Teacher!
Free event and open to all
Please RSVP HERE
Child Care is available for this event for $15 - Link to register & pay
Meet The Teacher
Meet the Teacher Nights
Please stop in to meet our teachers, here our plans for the year and tour our learning center!
March 5th, April 22nd, & May 12
From 5:30 to 6:30
Open to all!
A Loving Push
Parent Night & Open House
A Loving Push
How to encourage children to get out of their comfort zone. Strategies to help all parents with a special focus on supporting those of gifted and Neurodiverse children.
Join Counselor Stephen Sommers, LPC from Beljan Psychological Services & The Gifted Collective for a fun and informative evening.
Also tour our our learning center and chat with our Founder & Lead Teacher!
Free Event - Open to all
Please RSVP HERE
Child Care is available for this event for $15 - Link to register & pay
Homeschool Coffee Chat
Time to chat, share ideas, and enjoy some coffee!
Date: Friday, November 7th, 2025
Time: 10 am - noon (in person in Phoenix, AZ)
11 am - noon (AZ/PDT), 1-2 pm (CDT), 2-3 pm (EDT) (online)
Cost: FREE!
Additional information and RSVP here
Self-Esteem, It’s Not just Important for Our Kiddos!
Self-Esteem, It’s Not just Important for Our Kiddos!
Part of Finding Balance Workshops
Self-esteem is crucial for overall mental and emotional health. It influences how individuals feel about themselves and how they relate to others. A healthy sense of self-esteem enables a person to approach challenges with confidence, set personal boundaries, and build positive relationships. This workshop will offer tips and strategies, as well as some good laughs, for nurturing a healthy sense of self confidence in both you and your children.
Presenter by Linda Henly-Smith
Cost - Free for adults
RSVP - https://forms.gle/YRa2YuQTH7t1FJnZ6
Child Care - $15 - Register
Homeschool Coffee Chat
Time to chat, share ideas, and enjoy some coffee!
Date: Friday, October 3, 2025
Time: 10 am - noon (in person in Phoenix, AZ)
11 am - noon (AZ/PDT), 1-2 pm (CDT), 2-3 pm (EDT) (online)
Cost: FREE!
Additional information and RSVP here
Beyond the Pressure: Supporting Gifted & 2E Children Through Anxiety and Perfectionism
Beyond the Pressure: Supporting Gifted & 2E Children Through Anxiety and Perfectionism
September 27th - 10:00am-11:00am
Join Dr. Matteson and Dr. Sanchez from InSight Psychology for a presentation, group discussion, Q&A, and some coffee!
Free for parents and $15 for child care
RSVP - https://forms.gle/Apx2S1tRYCFXoqsh9
Child Care - www.thegiftedcollective.com/course-catalog
Homeschool Coffee Chat
Homeschool Coffee Chat Event co-hosted by The Gifted Collective and Serna Educational Services
Who Can Attend? Any parent/family who is actively (or wanting to learn more about) homeschooling/educating at home - as well as their children - are invited to attend!
What To Expect?
Coffee and treats
Meet and chat with other homeschooling/educating at home parents
Connection with homeschool resources
Talk with a homeschool expert
Children's activities
Registration link:
Laughter: The Medicine With No Bad Side Effects
Laughter: The Medicine With No Bad Side Effects
Part of This Fall’s Finding Balance Workshops
August 23rd 10AM-12PM
When is it OK to laugh? The time is now! There is a valuable healing property in laughter but some of us have broken funny bones! We have forgotten how to connect with our inner children! We live in a chaotic and constantly changing world! A sense of humor and our ability to find joy are valuable tools for dealing with challenges and finding solutions to problems. The very act of laughter has numerous health benefits. This workshop will offer tips on how to develop and maintain a healthy laugh life for you and your children!
Presentor - Linda Henly-Smith
Cost - Free for adults
RSVP - https://forms.gle/bpfenmkPuXaUHEBf9
Child Care - $15 - Register
Homeschool Coffee Chat
Homeschool Coffee Chat Event co-hosted by The Gifted Collective and Serna Educational Services
Date: Friday, August 22, 2025
Time: 10 am - noon
Cost: FREE!
Who Can Attend? Any parent/family who is actively (or wanting to learn more about) homeschooling/educating at home - as well as their children - are invited to attend!
What To Expect?
Coffee and treats
Meet and chat with other homeschooling/educating at home parents
Connection with homeschool resources
Talk with a homeschool expert
Children's activities
Open House & Meet the Teacher Night
Our last Meet the Teacher Night before school starts!
Please join us at 5:30 PM
Homeschool Coffee Chat
Are you a homeschooling parent or interested in homeschooling? Join us for an opportunity to chat and collaborate with fellow homeschooling parents. Bring your ideas and questions! Children are welcome to attend. We will have games and activities for the children and coffee and snacks for the adults.
This is a free event provided by The Gifted Collective and Serna Educational Services.
Parent Playtime
Parent Playtime
Discover a genius way to relieve tension and charge your soul!
Join us for an engaging evening and experience several fun and proven strategies to help you support your mental health!
Prevent or resolve conflict
Reconnect after misunderstandings
Dissolve stress
Spark creativity
Boost curiosity
Foster joyful connection
Heal potential "Play Disorders"
Free Parent Workshop!
Homeschool Coffee Chat
Hello! Thank you for your interest in our Homeschool Coffee Chat Event co-hosted by The Gifted Collective and Serna Educational Services.
Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2025
Time: 10 am - noon
Cost: FREE!
Location: The Gifted Collective, 15255 N 40th St Building #6, Phoenix, AZ 85032 (Cross Streets: Highway 51 and Greenway Rd.)
Who Can Attend? Any parent/family who is actively (or wanting to learn more about) homeschooling/educating at home - as well as their children - are invited to attend!
Purpose of Event:
Connections with other parents
We want to hear from you! Tell us what homeschool-related information and resources you need to be successful.
Connections with homeschooling experts
We hope to continue to offer this event each month through the end of 2025!
What To Expect (all at no cost!)?
Coffee and treats
Meet and chat with other homeschooling/educating at home parents
Connection with homeschool resources
Talk with a homeschool expert
Children's activities
RSVP: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe2LVb02V14d641rWt0ACFWnMpTcKD7AIqZbJ5SQRl2QaPEsA/viewform
Homeschool Coffee Chat
Homeschool Coffee Chat
Access homeschool resources!
Hear from and connect with homeschooling experts!
Connect with other homeschooling families!
...all while joining us for a cup of coffee!
North Phoenix Educational Fair
North Phoenix Educational Fair
Free Family Friendly Event! Hosted by The Gifted Collective & ESA Connection!
May 3rd 9:00 AM - Noon
What to expect?
Giftedness Chat - Is your child gifted? Learn from a gifted expert and enjoy Q&A
ESA Chat - Have questions about how ESA works? Learn from others and have your questions answered
Network and share with other families
Visit with local vendors, authors, and others who can help you on your family's educational journey
Win Raffle Prizes! - Gift Cards, summer program tickets, books, educational toys, and more!
RSVP - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc9-iPgyuH64O_hpE-Hj-krCB9XtEneBt5eJ-nPbalt_FtdHw/viewform
Hosted at The Gifted Collective
15255 N 40th St. #147
Phoenix, AZ 85032
Microschool Open House & Meet the Teachers
Please join us and hear our plans for next year!
Author Visit - Ruth A. Douthitt - The Dragon Forest (and other books)
Chat with local authors!
Some amazing authors will be here to share not only their wonderful children's books but also talk about the writing process. You and your children will be able to see what it is like to be an author, hear some great stories, and work on some crafts. Bring your questions and be ready to enjoy a fun Saturday morning. Authors books and our educational bookstore with books and educational games will be open.
Ruth A. Douthitt
Ruth A. Douthitt’s Dragons and more…
The Dragon Forest is the first in this adventure series of how the young Prince Peter experiences the adventure of a lifetime and how he finally learns what it means to be King. The interaction between Peter, his father, and the Dragon forms the essence of this action-adventure series of books. In Vulgaard, a world where elves and dragons coexist, a malevolent darkness shrouds the land, threatening to unravel their very existence. Secrets, once tightly held, are forcibly unveiled, tearing apart friendships and alliances. For centuries, the elves have safeguarded their ancient wisdom and enchanted realms, while the dragons ruled the skies with their awe-inspiring power. But when the insidious darkness sweeps across the enchanted forests and dragon lairs, it awakens a sinister force that feeds on secrets, whispering them aloud for all to hear.
Ruth is also the illistrator for her dragon books. Learn about what it it like to be an author and an illustrator! Children will be able to create their own works and color some of the dragon illistrations!
Former writing teacher, R. A. Douthitt is an award-winning author of books for middle grade readers and adults in fiction and non-fiction. And she is also an award-winning artist who illustrates her books and creates fantasy coloring books. She is the winner of the Moonbeam Children’s Books Award-Bronze Medal for Best Book Series and the Christian Indie Award First Place for YA. She currently works for Grand Canyon University and lives in Phoenix with her husband Scott and their little dog. When she isn't writing, Ruth loves to run marathons, draw dragons, paint, and garden.
www.artbyruth.com/middle-grade-books.html
Free event for parents and children!
Holiday Book Fair
Bright Child Books is located at The Gifted Collective!
We are Arizona’s specialty bookstore supporting creative and curious learners. Browse through a curated selection of books and resources specifically chosen to engage and inspire your child or students.
On special for this event only, save 10% on:
Children’s books
Novels
Books from local authors
Discovery Toys
Learning games
Fidget toys and stuffed animals
SENG Saturday Seminar
A Morning with the Experts!
Two gifted experts share their knowledge and strategies to support your children.
Dr. Paul Beljan (Bio) & Dr. Justin Gardner (Bio)
Beljan Psychological Services
Two Topics -
Why They Are the Way They Are - Understanding the Gifted Brain and Asynchronous Development
Understanding the gifted child’s brain is essential in order to support them. Gifted brains develop asynchronously, that is that different areas develop at different rates when compared to their age-level peers. The resultant behavior is consistent with many of Dubrowski’s exceptionalities and ADHD. Join us for a better understanding of your child’s brain and some strategies to better support them!
Gifted, ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, & More - How To Help Figure It Out and Support Your Child
The top diagnoses asked about by parents in our private pediatric neuropsychology practice are: ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder, short term memory deficit, processing speed deficit, central auditory processing deficit, sensory integration deficit, and working memory deficit. More often than not, these disorders are not present. We will review these diagnoses and offers simple and logical methods for how to determine if they may exist in the child or not. We will further discuss how diagnoses of these often affect gifted children, as well as new research into Autism Spectrum Disorder with giftedness.
We are happy to be hosting SENG’s first Saturday Seminar!
Cost - $25 for Members and $40 for Nonmembers
Register through SENG HERE
Event Child Care
$15 per child - Register HERE
Family & Educator Night
Family & Educator Night - Unlock Your Learning Potential with Genius Breaks!
November 14th - 5:30 - 6:30 PM
Free Event
Guest Speaker - Otto Siegel MCC, M.Ed. Founder of Genius Coaching
Learning is hard work and genius breaks are the key to accelerating the learning process for all ages. Join us to discover the power of genius breaks and how they can make your learning experience more productive. Whether you're a parent, a teacher, or a student, this event is for you! Learn how playful movements can open up your brain and benefit neurodiverse children, parents, and teachers. Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn how to apply genius breaks at home and in the classroom, while also finding out how they can help reduce anxiety burnout.
Encore Presentation! - Please join us if you missed this event in October!
Author Visit - Tracy Dayment’s Learning to Live: Life Skills for ALL Ages
Chat with local authors!
Some amazing authors will be here to share not only their wonderful children's books but also talk about the writing process. You and your children will be able to see what it is like to be an author, hear some great stories, and work on some crafts. Bring your questions and be ready to enjoy a fun Saturday morning. Authors books and our educational bookstore with books and educational games will be open.
November 9th Tracy Dayment’s Learning to Live: Life Skills for ALL Ages
Tracy Dayment is an author originally from the suburbs of Chicago. She, along with her husband, Tim, have resided in Arizona for more than twenty years. In 2013, they adopted their beautiful daughter, Diana. Tracy wrote Papercuts and Glitter Jars based on her own experiences of international adoption on a budget and raising a special needs child. Tracy’s first book Learning to Live: Life Skills for ALL Ages was created as a tool to help Diana learn important skills. Tracy has also written educational children’s books that teach acceptance and safety.
All of these topics/books can/will be discussed:
Learning to Live: Life Skills for ALL Ages - Grows with the child from youth through college and beyond. Highlights many life skills that will prepare children to become independent adults.
Think Safety: The Game Book - Features a wide range of trivia questions including first aid, kitchen safety, and safety in the community.
Is This Safe? - Everyday situations arise and the question of if something is safe is answered and explained.
Making Friends - Making friends is hard for many. An autistic girl goes searching and explains how she is able to make some really good friends.
Free event for parents and children
Author’s books will be available for purchase
FREE Mineral Mania Mad Science Lab!
Saturday, November 2nd - Mineral Mania Mad Science Lab! FREE EVENT!
$0.00
FREE EVENT! (Limited to 20 students)
Mineral Mania Mad Science Lab!
Children recreate the process of rock formation and devise ways to identify and classify rocks and minerals. They experience the thrill of panning for gems; the gems they find, they can take home for further study and investigation. Children are given hands-on activities combined with discussion and demonstrations in an interactive, challenging, and fun environment.
Time: 10:00-11:00 AM
Ages: 7-11
Provided by Mad Science
Fee: FREE!
Open House & Meet the Teacher
Open House & Meet the Teacher
Join us and learn about our microschool, enrichment courses, and more!
