Envisioning a School in Southeast Atlanta for the Youngest Children
The Nest Nursery School, founded in 2011 in southeast Atlanta, has grown from a small home-like environment to a thriving Reggio Emilia-inspired community in Grant Park, adapting over the years with thoughtful leadership, innovative practices, and a commitment to nurturing the youngest learners.
The Nest 3.0: The Next Generation of The Nest
The Nest Nursery School was founded in 2011 by three Southeast Atlanta mothers who dreamed of creating a nurturing, community-centered school for the youngest children in their Southeast Atlanta neighborhood.
The school first opened in a small house, intentionally designed to feel like a home away from home. As the community grew, The Nest relocated to Grant Park in 2017, expanding to four classrooms while maintaining the warmth that has always defined the school.
In late 2024, after learning that our Grant Street home had been sold for redevelopment, The Nest began the search for its next chapter. We are thrilled to announce that, in early 2027, The Nest will move to its new home at Terminal South.
Our new campus will feature thoughtfully designed learning environments, including a lush Infant Garden filled with perennial herbs, flowers, and sensory experiences for our youngest children. The move also marks a renewed investment in pedagogy, advocacy and social justice work.
Pedagogical Leadership
Kiah Ballard, who has been part of The Nest community since 2012, serves as Head of Infant & Toddler Pedagogy, leading our youngest children and mentoring the educators in our Nuthatch and Hummingbird classrooms. Working alongside Kiah are Diamond Thompson, Keli Dyer, Ley Horvath, Juliet Moreno, and Multi-Class Educator (MCE) Jakeya Parker.
Charletra Johnson, with more than a decade at The Nest, serves as Head of Preschool Pedagogy, leading our Wren and Blue Heron classrooms and mentoring Rashida Slaton, K’lah Morgan, Marti MacGregor, Milo Beauchamp, and Multi-Class Educator (MCE) Sierra Wynn.
Pedagogy Beyond The Classroom
Founder Mandy Palmer leads The Studio, the heart of a Reggio-Emilia inspired school. Our dedicated studio offers children access to a rich variety of open-ended materials, including the unique opportunity to work with clay through our onsite kiln. Each classroom includes a developmentally appropriate atelier space that keeps creativity and investigation woven into the everyday experience. Children are encouraged to experiment and express their theories through many forms of creation, The One Hundred Languages.
We are also excited to expand our programming with Yoga and Mindfulness, led by Annie LeVasseur, offering children weekly opportunities to build self-awareness, emotional regulation, and joy through intentional movement and reflection.
Every meal at The Nest is thoughtfully prepared on-site by Chef Ray Fleming, who creates nourishing vegetarian breakfasts, lunches, and snacks using fresh and locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. At The Nest, meals are more than nourishment; they are an extension of our curriculum, from seed to plate.
Supporting Our Collective Work
The Nest 3.0 is stewarded by an administrative team committed to supporting the collective work of the community; from child to teacher to family.
- Melissa Fergueson — Executive Director
- Annie LeVasseur — Assistant Director
- Rachel Rouse — Administrator
Welcome to the next generation of The Nest.
Individual staff biographies are coming soon. We look forward to introducing you to the remarkable educators and leaders who make this community possible.
