The Quail's Nest

Our Teachers

Lisa Lisk

Mrs. Lisk has been teaching in early childhood settings since 2009. She received her Bachelors in art education in 1993 and a Masters in elementary education in 2000. In addition, Mrs. Lisk holds Arizona certificates in early childhood and gifted education. Mrs. Lisk has 4 grown children who inspired her passion for teaching preschool. She believes nurturing and care, combined with play and academic exploration, set the foundation for a well-rounded program. Opening The Quail’s Nest in the summer of 2020 was a long-time dream come true! Mrs. Lisk continues to pursue the latest methodologies and teaching strategies through professional development; and current memberships with the Arizona Association for the Gifted and Talented (AAGT) and the Arizona Educators Association (AEA). Mrs. Lisk’s area of expertise is working with gifted preschool students. She greatly values a partnership with parents and seeks to provide meaningful support and guidance for families.

Amanda Salinas

Mrs. Salinas is thrilled to be a part of The Quail’s Nest Preschool! She is an Arizona native and an ASU graduate. Go Sun Devils! Mrs. Salinas received her BA in Elementary Education in 2006 and has fourteen years of experience in early childhood settings. She holds a K-8 certificate with an early childhood endorsement. Mrs. Salinas believes instilling a love of school and learning is one of the best parts of teaching preschoolers. When she is not teaching, Mrs. Salinas is a busy Mom to her 6-year-old daughter, who was a student at The Quail’s Nest for two years! Additionally, she enjoys hiking, reading and spending time with family and friends.

Testimonials

Mrs. Lisk is a brilliant teacher. I’m grateful that both of my children have experienced her gifted Pre-K classes. In a very short time with Mrs. Lisk, I’ve observed them grow exponentially in their critical thinking and problem-solving skills, as well as their literacy abilities. In addition, they have joyfully developed social skills. And, through attaining academic goals, they’ve grown in confidence.

Mrs. Lisk carefully curates her classes in ways that are inspiring to children, as well as challenging. I deeply admire Mrs. Lisk’s intellect, compassion, and determination. She never stops believing in kids’ abilities, or in the exponentially positive impact that early childhood education has on their lives.

~Rory O’Neill Schmitt, PhD

“The Quail’s Nest Preschool has made our son feel at home while offering one of the best intellectual environments we could ask for. Christopher is thrilled to leave for school in the morning and always has so much to share about his day when we pick him up. We credit that to Mrs. Lisk’s creative activities that have the kids forget they are even learning. We are so grateful for her!”

~Ashley P.

We are SO thankful that we found Mrs. Lisk and The Quail’s Nest Preschool for our three year old! Our little boy has made leaps and bounds in social skills, behavior, and academics since starting. He is a little high strung , and was having difficulty transitioning out of naps and Mrs. Lisk has been our fairy godmother and SO PATIENT working with him! We have seen such a change at home and we are so incredibly grateful for all of her knowledge, advice, and love! And special shoutout to Miss Jordan who has been a huge help as well!

~Jessica C.

Mrs. Lisk goes above and beyond for her students and she genuinely cares for their well being, safety and happiness. My daughter has also excelled academically in a short period of time under her guidance. She has created a wonderful space for learning and fun!

~Molly C.

My son and whole family have loved our experience at The Quail’s Nest!!! Mrs. Lisk is a top notch educator who is busy teaching my second child how to read, play well with others, learn about new ideas and experience all the great stuff I don’t want to do at home (think messy art projects and science experiments like owl pellets). She is so caring and my son comes home happy and excited about going back for more!

~Nicole P.

We are so glad we found The Quail’s Nest for our daughter. After having tried three different preschools, including Montessori, we were apprehensive about her social skills and development in a small preschool. The difference and progress has been stellar with the dedication and attention paid by Mrs. Lisk and Ms. Jordan. The day is well planned with lessons and fun activities, and our daughter has made quite a few friends at school. Having a small class has greatly helped. Mrs. Lisk’s attention to health and safety in Covid times is exemplar and the measures have ensured a quarantine-free school year so far. We would wholeheartedly recommend The Quail’s Nest Preschool to anyone.

~Gita and Dev

We love The Quail’s Nest Preschool! Lisa creates such a nurturing environment that fosters social development and a love for learning. Our daughter has grown so much in just the 1/2 year she has been there. She has gained confidence, built friendships and progressed academically so quickly all thanks to Lisa and Jordan. One of my favorite activities they do is a daily complement of each classmate. It is such a great community builder and a wonderful way to get kids thinking about others. We would highly recommend anyone looking for a preschool to schedule a visit at The Quail’s Nest.

~Ryan and Courtnee

Philosophy

Our philosophy encompasses accelerated academics, play, and experiential learning in a developmentally appropriate environment. At The Quail’s Nest, we provide innovative early childhood education in a small, caring setting, engaging students through creative, meaningful activities tailored to their individual needs. We promote a growth mindset and offer academically challenging material, fostering a safe, nurturing environment that emphasizes the joy of learning.

Location

We are a home-based preschool program in the heart of Desert Ridge. Our educators are AZ state-certified in early childhood, elementary and gifted education with over 30 years’ experience in the classroom. Join our nest today! Currently enrolling for the 2026-2027 school year. Before and after care available for an additional fee.

About our program

At The Quail’s Nest, we teach the concepts of math, science, engineering, art, social development and early literacy through rich play experiences and strong academics. We challenge each child to reach new heights through highly individualized and small group instruction. Our teachers are state certified early childhood educators with additional endorsements in teaching gifted students.

Admissions

Join the The Quail’s Nest community in three easy steps:

1. Explore our website

We’ve provided information about our philosophy and offerings to help you decide if our program may be right for your family.

2. Tour our program

Come see what makes The Quail’s Nest unique! In-person tours can be arranged in the mornings, by appointment only. Please note that we require tours for all prospective families.

3. Submit Registration Form

If you would like to enroll, please contact our director at [email protected] or 908-251-0293. Following a tour you may apply for enrollment, if space allows. You’ll then pay your non-refundable $100 enrollment deposit to secure a spot. Student file documents and our Parent Handbook are available in June.