Safe Haven's Early Childhood & Parent Network Reading Literacy, and Healthy Education Annual Conference 

Childcare providers In-Home1, 2 center staff and teachers here is your opportunity to participate in a dynamic conference and hear from experts and receive (5) in-service credit hours according to current regulations.  Parents join us and hear speakers share specialized information about early childhood development, mental health, reading, dyslexia, learn and play, benefit of Untited Health Care and activities you can do at home. 

                                                  Lite breakfast and lunch included

                                          Seating Limited REGISTER BELOW TODAY!       

                          Learn About Our Expert Speakers

Gwen Easter has over 30 years’ experience in the childcare industry supporting children and parents academically.  She is the owner of Safe Haven Early Childhood Preschool Education Academy and the founder of Safe Haven Community Center 501 (C) 3 nonprofit, which she has operated for 22 years providing holistic education, housing and advocacy services to children, youth, and families.  She has been appointed by Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts to be a member of our state’s Early Childhood Interagency Coordination Council to be and influential voice for family child-care businesses for a second term.  She is appointed to the First African American Commission in the State of Nebraska.    

She is a certified dyslexic advocate, trainer, consultant and tutor and offers R.E.A.D.S, ( Right to Educate Advocate for Dyslexic Students).  Ms. Easter is very passionate about dyslexia and early childhood childcare education.  She has received certifications in early childhood education and other education certifications related to services provided by her organization and childcare business. She has received a master teacher certification of Logic of English.  She is graduate of the Dyslexia Training Institute.  She received her certificate of completion through Susan Barton Bright Solution graduate level Dyslexia Screening course. She continues to educate herself by attending trainings, conferences and webinars.

She is a family, parent and childcare  education advocate and operate the Early Childhood & Parent Network (ECPN) serving, parents, grandparents, home school parents and childcare providers in the Omaha area and nationally.  The network supports parents, and childcare providers by inspiring, empowering, educating  and advocating for the childcare industry early childhood education, dyslexia, and parents’ rights by providing education trainings, conferences and advocating for policy and legislation that affect parents and childcare providers. 

Ms. Easter, has tutored and prepared American, Sudan, Somalia, Korea, and Burma children for kindergarten through her early childhood preschool program and her before and after school KIDS CAN READ! ™ Reading Tutorial  program using phonemic phonic multisensory systematic teaching to help children who struggle with reading, writing, spelling and have learning disability dyslexia. Her passion to work with children started at age 16 and continued as an AmeriCorps Vista education  volunteer. During her AmeriCorps years Ms. Easter setup tutoring programs and tutored for Omaha Public Schools’ various tutoring programs with and OOIC Adult Education GED/Literacy class, and  other local organization and churches from 1998-2000.

It was during her time with AmeriCorps she discovered more than half the children and adults she worked with struggle to read, write and had a learning disability, dyslexia. In 1998 even though school systems public and private knew about dyslexia it was not being acknowledge by the  schools nor by many parents so children were not getting the help they needed from teachers.  Due to her own personal school experience and realizing  schools were failing kids and understanding her community needs.  God gave her the vision to start her own organization and childcare business to prepare kids early for kindergarten and to continue helping children and adults who struggle with reading and had a learning disability dyslexia.   Under her nonprofit she started a  Youth and Adult Literacy /GED/ ESL classes, tutoring program and Job Readiness and Work experience  program to help 18year old youth and adults who wanted to turn their lives around. Safe Haven Community Center was forerunner for many services that are now offered by other organizations.

Through the years, Ms. Easter and her staff, certified and non certified teachers and volunteer tutors experienced firsthand preschoolers, school age children, and adults who have entered her programs with warning signs of dyslexia and children who struggle with reading due to a lack of instruction and tutoring support. Even though preschoolers and kindergartners are learning at that age she and her staff have had  preschoolers, and kindergarten children enter the program who have trouble memorizing their alphabet and numbers, difficulty with rhyming, and mixing up syllables.  These warning signs are indicators that preschoolers are at risk of having reading and language problems after entering school.” Early Intervention, phonemic, phonic multisensory teaching and continual support will help all children succeed academically and in life.

 The mission of Safe Haven Early Childhood Preschool Education Academy and Safe Haven Community Center is to continue providing education, housing, advocacy support and Safe Night Youth Rallies to help children, adults and families so they can have a healthy stable, safe home environment and  become productive citizens.

What you will learn:

Training Objectives:

1. What is Dyslexia
2. Understand the Science of Dyslexia
3. Myths & Warning Signs of Dyslexia  Preschoolers, School age, adults
4. Importance of Early Intervention preschool, and school age children     
5. Effective interventions and Accommodations
6. What it feels like to be dyslexic (serious but fun simulations on perception and reading)

Allison Freeny is a Professional Development business owner who has been helping early childhood providers explore their talents for better business outcomes. During the past 21 years, Allison has been a childcare provider, Child and Adult Care Food Program Administrator, and a member of the Nebraska Early Childhood Interagency Coordinating Council appointed by Governor Pete Ricketts.

Play and Learn: Focus on reading and Math in early learning environments.

What you will learn:

Children learn through play. In this workshop, participants will discuss and explore:

Training Objectives:

1.Early learning standards.

2. Attention to the importance for play in early childhood environments.

3. The necessity for play in social and emotional development, early math skills and recognition, and literacy.

4. Learn play techniques for parents, caregivers, and children that introduce early math concepts through reading and kinesthetic activities.

Gail Ross is a dynamic and energetic professional with 20+ years of extensive human service administration and community engagement experience with 9+ years extensively in maternal and child health with a focus on building and strengthening families through community and provider relationships and partnerships to ensure United Healthcare’s vision, mission, and standards are met. Her professional areas of passion are Community Outreach and Advocacy, Passion for Populations in Need, Organization and Leadership, Conflict Resolution, Team Building, Community-based Programming, Program Development and Administration and Fiscal Management. Gail Ross pastors alongside her husband, Pastor Fred Ross of Judah Kingdom Center. Co-Pastor Gail Ross’ ministry areas of passion are healing, deliverance, and prayer. Her heart’s desire is to please God both naturally and spiritually so.  

What you will learn:  

Training Objectives:

1. Benefits of being an United Health Care member
2. Insurance Benefits offered to Childcare business
3. Insurance Benefits offered to Families

Cheri Jenkins (she, her, hers) is a board certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC). Cheri provides psychiatric evaluations, brief psychotherapy, mental health education and psychotropic medication management in a non-judgmental approach to individuals who struggle with mental health concerns. Cheri received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing in 1999. In 2006, Cheri obtained a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling from Bellevue University affording her the opportunity to practice as a Licensed Mental Health Therapist and Provisionally Licensed Drug and Alcohol Counselor in an outpatient setting for seven years. Shortly after, she received another master’s degree in Healthcare Administration and Leadership from Bellevue University in 2008. Since then, she has worked in many of the Omaha area hospitals as a psychiatric nurse and in several state penitentiaries as a corrections nurse until she received her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing in 2015.

Since obtaining her PMHNP-BC, Cheri has worked in multiple correctional facilities for the last five years, and has treated patients in inpatient and outpatient facilities, as well. Ms. Jenkins is a former board member of National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) Nebraska and is a member of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association.

Cheri is fervent about and has garnered her skills in providing whole person, quality, compassionate, and comprehensive mental health services to adults who are dealing with real-life concerns including anxiety, depression, mood, trauma and those dealing with self-sabotaging behaviors. Cheri possesses strong clinical skills heightened by her natural capacity to build healing connections with patients and families. She follows evidence-based guidelines melded with clinical expertise, personal observation, and intuition. She is dedicated to working in an integrated environment and feels her current role has joined her education and experience to help meet the needs of this underserved population. Soon, she plans to obtain a Doctorate of Nurse Practice (DNP) as she aspires for a career that integrates the roles of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and Community Educator. 

In her spare time, Cheri loves preparing creole and soul food dishes, going for long walks, attending outdoor jazz and blues concerts, traveling to far away destinations and spending time with friends and family.

What you will learn: 

Training Objectives:

1. What is Mental Illness
2. What are the Signs of Mental Illness? (Depression, Anxiety,ADHD, Oppositional Defiance, etc)
3. Coping Skills and Self Care (proper diet, exericise, etc)

Willie Bob Johnson LEADERSHIP AND OPERATIONS TRAINING / DEVELOPMENT

Dedicated leader with over 20 years of proven results using operational and leadership strength to solve specific measurable needs for organizations through the training, development, and engagement of associates.

BEING A SUPERVISOR   (For Owners, Directors, Supervisors) What They Never Told You

What you will learn:

Training Objectives:

1. Understand when to use, or not to use, authority

2. Understand when to use, or not to use, your authority

3. Keep your boss happy by doing your job well and independently.

4. Recognize and deal with stress – your owner, that of your staff.