A reflection from our founders, Jane Porterfield and Gerry Pastor
The Belief That Became The Nest Schools
When we think about what inspired us to open The Nest Schools, we always come back to the same place.
For more than 35 years, we worked in early childhood education in Connecticut. Professionally and personally, that time was incredibly rewarding. On a daily basis, we saw how our schools positively impacted children, families, and staff in meaningful ways. Over time, we began to believe that what we were building could be replicated on a larger scale without losing the heart of what made it special.
That belief became The Nest Schools.
Founders Jane Porterfield and Gerry Pastor looking into a classroom at one of The Nest Schools.
A Mission That Has Never Changed
From the very beginning, our vision has not changed in even the slightest way. The mission that guides The Nest today is the same mission that guided us when we opened our first school. While we’ve grown and learned over the past five years, the purpose behind our work has remained constant.
As we completed our fifth year, we took time to more clearly put words to that mission. While the language itself is new, what it reflects is not. It captures what has always mattered most to us.
Our Mission for Children and Families
For our children and families, our mission is to build trusting relationships with families and provide safe and nurturing environments where children grow with joy and develop a lifelong love of learning. Trust has always been foundational to our work. Trust between families and schools, between teachers and children, and within the communities we serve.
Our Commitment to Educators and Staff
Just as important is our commitment to the people who make this work possible every day. For our staff, our mission is to lead with warmth and kindness and empower exceptional early childhood educators through high-quality workplaces, professional development, and support. From the beginning, we have believed that when educators are valued and supported, children thrive.
Founders Jane Porterfield and Gerry Pastor at the 2024 Nashville Directors’ Retreat with the winner of the Denim and Diamonds theme contest, Dazzaria Johnson, Director of The Nest Schools State Street.
Founder Gerry Pastor presenting at the 2024 Directors’ Retreat in Nashville.
Why Early Childhood Education Matters
Creating a place like The Nest felt important because early childhood education is still vastly undervalued, despite how critical these early years truly are. The work happening in classrooms every day shapes children’s lives, supports families, and lays the foundation for everything that comes next. As children enter grade school, all the way through college and beyond, they assume increment more responsibility for their own development, but from birth through 4, the responsibility is entirely ours as teachers and caregivers. We are setting the stage for their future in countless ways.
Growing with Intention
Over the past five years, The Nest has grown from schools in a single state to more than 60 schools across 11 states. While that growth may appear significant from the outside, we see it as modest. We underestimated the challenges of moving from operating schools in one state to supporting schools across the country, challenges that were further compounded by COVID and other external factors.
As a result, many of the programs we envisioned for children, families, and staff took longer to fully develop than we had hoped. Over the past couple of years, we’ve been intentionally focused on assuring quality at every level before considering significant expansion again. Over the past year, it has been incredibly gratifying to realize that we are truly close to achieving the level of quality we originally aspired to.
Throughout every moment of change and challenge, our core values have never wavered (kindness, wellness, innovation and fun). They reflect how we believe people should navigate life, both personally and professionally.
When families walk into a Nest school, we hope they feel warmth, trust, and kindness right away. Those feelings are intentional, and they come from the care and dedication of the people inside our schools every single day.
The Heart of The Nest and the Future We’re Building
What we are most proud of today is our teachers and staff. They have persevered through uncertainty, believed deeply in our mission, and poured everything they have into making The Nest what it is today. Their commitment and resilience are the heart of this organization.
As we look ahead, what excites us most is knowing there is always more we can do. While some might feel content with where we are, we do not. We still see The Nest as a young company, one that is constantly learning, growing, and improving. Taking our best and making it better will always be part of who we are, and building on the foundation of the past five years makes the future incredibly exciting.
With Gratitude
To every family, teacher, leader, and team member who has helped build The Nest Schools over the past five years – thank you! Our gratitude is immeasurable. Simply that.