Nest

@nestnyu

Ms. Keren Keyzner
NEST Coach

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The Nest Program is built on a neurodiversity-affirming philosophy that supports students with autism by focusing on strengths, individuality, and belonging. We believe all students learn best in environments that are inclusive, supportive, and responsive to their unique needs.

Nest classrooms provide structured supports and a specialized curriculum designed to develop social skills, communication, and independence. Students are actively taught how to collaborate with peers, navigate social situations, and build meaningful relationships in and out of the classroom.

A key component of the Nest Program is our integration of the Zones of Regulation, a framework that helps students develop self-awareness and emotional regulation skills. Students learn to identify their feelings, understand how those feelings impact their behavior, and practice strategies to return to a calm and ready-to-learn state. This curriculum is taught school wide to support their generalization of the skills.

Our Nest community is also proud to host a dual language classroom, supporting students with autism in developing bilingualism, biliteracy, and cross-cultural understanding.

Our team works closely with related service providers, including Speech-Language Pathologists (SLP), Occupational Therapists (OT), and Physical Therapists (PT), to ensure that supports are integrated into the school day. This collaborative approach helps students strengthen communication, motor, sensory, and functional skills in meaningful, real-life contexts.

In addition, the Nest Program is supported by a dedicated Nest Coach, Keren, Keyzner, who works closely with teachers and staff to ensure consistent implementation of best practices. The Nest Coach provides ongoing parent training, teacher development and classroom support. These elements create a multidisciplinary team that supports children with autism alongside their peers, promoting individualized growth, meaningful participation, and shared learning for all students.

Together, all of these components create a learning environment where students are supported as whole children—academically challenged, emotionally understood, and socially empowered.