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Mechanicsville

Preschool and Daycare in Mechanicsville, Virginia

Welcome to The Nest Schools of Mechanicsville, Virginia! We are proud to offer Mechanicsville families the highest quality childcare and preschool programs. Our curriculum and program design incorporate the most current research in early development to best prepare children for their future in and out of the classroom. At The Nest, we work every day to create a culture of kindness, build the foundations for wellness for life, make learning fun, and continually take our best and make it better. We invite you to contact us today to learn more about our child care options and schedule a tour!

Located near Mechanicsville Turnpike and next to the Hanover Fire EMS Station 7.

Take a Look Inside Our School

The Nest Difference

At The Nest, we take every precaution to ensure your child’s health and safety when they spend their day with us. Our schools provide layers of security measures to protect the children in our care.
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Our curriculum and program design incorporate the most current research in early development to best prepare children for their future in and out of the classroom. Each element of our Nest Play curriculum shares one goal: to help children love to learn.
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Communication with our families is a top priority at The Nest Schools. Everything from the face-to-face interactions during pick up and drop off times, individual conference times, school e-newsletter, daily reporting app, and interactive displays outside every classroom allow for parents to be fully involved and in the know on their child’s learning and progress.
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At The Nest Schools, we hire teachers who have a genuine love for young children and share our vision of raising a world of kind, healthy, and inspired kids. All of our teachers are highly-trained youth developers who are dedicated to bringing out what is special and unique about each child.
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At The Nest, we set out to create outdoor environments that entice children to engage with nature. Our playgrounds are rich with plants and natural elements, exciting play themes, and physical challenges. Children can learn to assess risks and test their boundaries within an environment that was created with their safety, health, and skill-building in mind.
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Our Mechanicsville Leadership Team

BIO Pictures (1)

Sierra O'Brien

Director

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Sierra has been in early childhood education since 2014 and has her master’s in teaching and a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in Sociology. She has held many positions throughout her career, including: a babysitter, assistant director, early childhood teacher, and elementary school teacher. She enjoys working with children at every stage of their development and watching them grow and learn. It truly amazes her. Creating relationships with families and each child is equally important to her as creating relationships with staff.

Sierra lives with her husband, daughter, and two dogs – Pumpkin and Ollie. She enjoys relaxing with her family and reading on her kindle in her free time.
BIO Pictures

Deanna Whalen

Assistant Director

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Deanna Whalen has been in the early childhood education field since 2007. She has served in many roles throughout her career, including teacher, administrator, curriculum specialist, health and safety coordinator, and tutor!

Deanna chose to pursue a career in early childhood education because she is passionate about working with young children and helping them develop essential skills and knowledge during their formative years. She believes that early childhood education is a critical component of a child’s overall development and success in life. Additionally, she enjoys knowing that she has helped build the foundation for a child’s education with positivity and encouragement. She is proud to be a part of The Nest School’s Under My Wing mentor program.

Deanna lives in Glen Allen with her two dogs, Jax and Luna, and enjoys building terrariums and spending time with her family in her free time.
Erica Sapienza 800x800

Erica Sapienza

Regional Director

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Erica has been in early childhood education since 2010 and has a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and a master’s in elementary education. Erica has served in many roles throughout her career, including a teacher, director, regional director, curriculum writer, and human resources. Erica enjoys working one-on-one with children and watching them reach milestones. She also enjoys building relationships with staff and families.

Erica lives with her husband, son, twin daughters, and their chocolate lab. She loves going to the beach and exploring Disney parks in her spare time. Erica is also an avid runner and has completed four marathons! Erica’s favorite childhood book is Dr. Seuss’s The Places You’ll Go because her parents gave it to her at her 5th grade graduation and it has been her inspiration to reach all her goals ever since. We are so grateful to have Erica on our team!

Our Mechanicsville Educational Programs

Hummingbirds

We understand that infants need nurturing, and parents need to feel secure knowing their child is in good hands. Our infant teachers are hand-picked natural caregivers who focus on meeting the individual needs of every child. While your child is in our care, you can rest assured that they will receive the attention and interaction they need and deserve.

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Ducklings

We recognize that your young toddler has the capacity to learn so much in the first few years of their life by simply having opportunities to explore and play amongst peers. Our teachers encourage learning through daily routines and experiences involving health and physical development, social-emotional development, language and literacy development, and so much more.

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Cardinals

Our Cardinal program supports older toddlers and their increased independence, exploration of emotions and feelings, and fast-developing use of language. We also understand and support their continued desire to explore everything about their world. We believe our play-based philosophy and learning center structure gives them the best opportunity to do this.

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Penguins

The early preschool years are nothing short of amazing! Children at this age have an overwhelming eagerness to learn and you will notice that their ability to experiment, explore, and focus on set activities begins to change rapidly. Our Penguin program supports young preschoolers and their need to be challenged, engaged, and encouraged in their learning and personal interests.

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Robins

The older preschool years consist of so much learning and development! Their peer relationships are strengthening, they have a more complex understanding and use of language, and their overall motor skills have developed rapidly. Our Robins program continues to provide for preschoolers and their need to be challenged, engaged, and supported in their learning and personal interests.

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Full-time, Private

GREAT things come from great BEGINNINGS! Our private kindergarten programs will help your child excel in a small classroom environment giving them a successful start to their elementary years. Our comprehensive curriculum will use a mix of requirements from the Department of Education alongside our Nest Play curriculum to prepare children for first grade and beyond.

Pelicans / Before & After School

Our School Age program provides children with opportunities for exploration, creativity, and fun challenges to support them in becoming their best selves. Our program consists of a mix of guided activities planned by the children and teacher-guided activities.

Summer Fun for Your Child

Summer is one of the things children look forward to the most. School’s out, and children are ready to get back to their much-awaited playtime. But instead of letting your child become glued to TV screens, computers, or mobile devices watching cartoons or playing video games, this may be the perfect time to encourage them to engage in activities that offer the right balance between learning and fun. This is where summer camps come in!

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What Our Families Are Saying

“We are so grateful for The Nest Schools! We have had amazing teachers so far, and our son loves every minute of school! What I love is that even the teachers that our son hasn’t had yet all know him by name, and treat him like he is one of their own students. We would (and do) recommend The Nest to anyone that asks.”

Amanda Lacks

“The things we like best about our child care experience at The Nest Schools are that we’re always greeted each morning with the staff’s friendly smiles and positive attitudes. Both of our children feel welcomed and have developed wonderful relationships. We are also impressed by the level of safety and the daily curriculum.”

Stephanie & Ryan Briggs

“To us, The Nest Schools has meant more than just childcare; they have been our partner in the development and success of our kids! ”

Stephen Starr

Schedule Your Tour

Scheduling a tour does not guarantee availability.
The School Director will be able to confirm space in your child’s program during the tour.

Self-scheduled tours are currently available for the following programs.
If your program is not listed, please contact the school for more information on availability and waitlist options.

Nest Rebrand Timeline

Classroom Furniture & Materials

Every classroom will be transformed with top of the line, solid maple craftsmanship pieces including tables, chairs, shelves, toys, and every day classroom supplies.

Big Brave Blocks

Our jumbo blocks will ignite children’s imaginations encouraging learning, social development, movement, and of course fun! Click here to learn more about children’s development through big block fun. 

Paint

All walls within the school will receive a fresh new coat of paint!

Flooring

Easy to clean vinyl-plank flooring will be installed throughout the school.

Outdoor Play Spaces

Our outdoor play spaces will be rich with plants and natural elements, exciting play themes, and physical challenges. Children can learn to assess risks and test their boundaries within an environment created with their safety, health, and skill-building in mind.

Interior Signage/Artwork

Beautiful artwork, classroom signs, and signs emphasizing our core values will adorn the interior of our school.

Exterior Signage

New exterior signage will ensure we can’t be missed!

Digital Signage

Never miss a beat! Our digital displays outside classrooms and in our lobby will keep you up-to-date on weekly curriculum activities, school announcements, events, menus and more!

Security

We will be installing state-of-the-art security systems at the entrance and throughout our school to keep our children safe and provide parents peace of mind that their children are safe in our care.

Air Purifiers

Air purifiers using ActivePure Technology® will continuously clean and protect air and surfaces 24 hours a day, reducing 99.96% of airborne SARS-COV-2 viral partials as well as other viral contaminants.

Click here to watch a short video with more information on how this technology protects your child while in our care.

Interior Renovations