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.
From Vision to Growth
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 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, relationships, and sense of belonging that have 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. The 2026–2027 school year will begin at our Grant Street campus before transitioning to Terminal South for the second semester.
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. As Executive Director Melissa Fergueson leads The Nest into its 15th anniversary year, this new home represents an exciting new beginning while honoring the values that have guided our community since 2011.
Reggio Emilia in Action
The Nest is a Reggio Emilia–inspired early childhood school where children, educators, and families learn together through collaboration, inquiry, and meaningful relationships. Our learning environments are thoughtfully designed to serve as the “third teacher,” offering open-ended materials and spaces that encourage creativity, problem-solving, and deep exploration.
Our campus includes a full teaching kitchen, a studio inspired by the ateliers of Reggio Emilia, a community gathering space we call the Piazza, our ever-evolving Nature Preserve, and expansive outdoor classrooms.
Today, this vision is supported by a team of experienced pedagogical leaders. Kiah Ballard, who has been with The Nest since 2012, serves as Director of Infant & Toddler Pedagogy. Charletra Johnson, with more than a decade at The Nest, is Director of Preschool Pedagogy. Founder, Mandy Palmer, leads our Studio program, while Kate Carlock enters her eleventh year as our Naturalist. We are also excited to expand our offerings with Yoga and Mindfulness led by Annie LeVasseur.
Adapting Through Challenges
Like schools around the world, The Nest adapted during the COVID-19 pandemic, and many of the changes made during that time ultimately strengthened our program. The experience reaffirmed the value of smaller class sizes, unhurried days, and deeper relationships between children and educators.
Today, The Nest continues to prioritize small classroom communities and offers families two scheduling options: a School Day program (8:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m.) and a Full Day program (8:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.). These intentional choices support a more responsive, relationship-based experience for children, families, and educators alike.
Evolving Leadership and Vision
In 2022, The Nest experimented with a four-day workweek for staff, allowing them to work four nine-hour days, with four paid hours of “flex time” per week. The extra time was given to teachers out of respect for how personal care needs impacted their work. This change has provided a better work-life balance and improved teacher retention.
In 2023, Mandy made the decision to step down as director in order to act as a leader from the classroom level. She now brings her decades of experience into the classroom as a teacher. The same year, Kristi moved to Illinois to work as a professor at Southern Illinois University. Eleanor Walsh, who has worked in nearly every position at The Nest in her eight years, stepped in as sole director. She is supported by the administrator, Nikki Starz.
The future of The Nest looks positive as the school adjusts to changes and continues its presence in the Grant Park community.
