Dr. Garine Palandjian, Head of School
Dr. Garine Palandjian became the Head of School of St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School in July 2023. She is currently working towards completion of her Principal PreK-8 Licensure by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Dr. Palandjian has been an educator for over 15 years. Growing up in the Armenian Community of Rhode Island, Garine is a proud graduate of Mourad Armenian Saturday School and Sunday School at St. Vartanantz Armenian Apostolic Church. Her passion for teaching and Armenian education was inspired by her parents, teachers and mentors.
In 2022, Garine completed her PhD in Educational Policy and Evaluation with a focus in Qualitative Inquiry and Comparative and International Education at Arizona State University Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College. Prior to ASU, Garine worked at the American University of Armenia (2013-2017) where she set up the Center for Student Success and student support services.
Maral Orchanian, Preschool Director
Maral Orchanian has been the Director of St. Stephen’s Armenian Preschool since April 2009. Prior to this, she served as a Nursery I class teacher for 10 years. Maral received her Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Lesley University in 1998. She is born and raised in Aleppo, Syria, where she got her bachelor’s degree in English Literature from the University of Aleppo. She served as the principal of an elementary school for 9 years before moving to the United States in 1991. During her first year in Massachusetts, Maral taught Armenian in the Kindergarten classroom at Armenian Sisters’ Academy for 1 year before pursuing her Masters’ degree in Early Childhood Education at Lesley University. Maral is the proud mother of two boys who are St. Stephen’s school Alumni. She enjoys being a part of the SSAES preschool staff and loves being surrounded by children. Her goal is to ensure that the Preschool is a safe, enjoyable and fun environment for the children to learn and play.
Laura Yardumian, Operations and Communications Coordinator
Laura Yardumian earned her BA in Anthropology, Classics, and Secondary Education from Grinnell College in Iowa, with post-graduate coursework in anthropology at the University of New Mexico and in human resources at Cambridge College. The proud mother of three SSAES alumni and a former PTO co-chair and Board Member, Laura has extensive experience in independent school operations and non-profit management. A life-long learner, she enjoys tackling new technologies, problem solving, reading, puzzles, and children of all ages. Teach people to be a disciplined thinkers, and they will be able to learn or do anything they set their minds to accomplish.
Houry Boyamian, Principal Emerita
Houry Boyamian was the Principal of St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School, in Watertown, Massachusetts, from 1988 to 2023. For 35 years, she served the school with great determination and commitment, bringing a sense of identity coupled with a dedication to provide the best education possible. Thanks to her efforts, the school distinguished itself with its Armenian character, academic strength, and excellent staff. Under her administration, in 2003, St. Stephen’s became the first Armenian-American day school in New England to be fully accredited by AISNE, the Association of Independent Schools in New England. The school’s accreditation by AISNE confirmed that St. Stephen’s is on an academic par with the best private schools in the region.
She holds a French Baccalaureate in Literature and Philosophy from College Protestant Francais, a BS Degree in Pharmacy from St. Joseph University, and a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Massachusetts. For her dedication to the mission of the school and for her leadership role in the community, in 2005 she received the Mesrob Mashdots medal from the Catholicossate of the Great House of Cilicia, and in 2008 the Queen Zabel medal from the Armenian Prelacy in NY, and a Proclamation from the Massachusetts House of Representatives. In 2018, she also received a certificate of honor from the Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia, and the Educational Excellence Award from ANCA in 2023. She is a graduate of Nishan Palandjian Djemaran.
Vicky Ashjian, Nursery IB Teacher
Vicky Ashjian was born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon. She graduated from M & H Arslanian Djemaran, and later attended Pigier College. Vicky served as Assistant Manager of an international auditing company and also worked at the Japanese Embassy Administrative Offices. After Vicky and her family moved to Massachusetts in 2003, she started substitute teaching at St. Stephen’s Preschool and has been a Nursery teacher at St. Stephen’s Preschool since 2009. Vicky is a certified Lead Teacher by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC). As a teacher, her primary goal is to create a nurturing, safe, and fun educational environment where children grow up being proud of their Armenian heritage and culture. The parent of two SSAES alumni, Vicky speaks 4 languages: Armenian, Arabic, French, and English.
Yelena Hakobyan, Nursery IIA T-Assistant and Preschool Music Teacher
Yelena Hakobyan was born in Gyumri, Armenia. She graduated from Armen Tigranian Music School, and continued her music studies, receiving a bachelor’s degree at the Kara-Murza Music College with degrees in Piano Pedagogy and Musical Accompaniment. Yelena spent the next 18 years teaching piano at Armen Brutyan Music School. During her tenure she also worked as music instructor to kindergarten students. In 1996, Yelena and her family moved to Boston, MA. In 2004 Yelena became a music instructor for St. Sahag & St. Mesrob Armenian School, and in 2011, she joined St. Stephen’s Preschool as a teacher assistant, eventually becoming the Preschool’s music teacher in 2015. Yelena is a certified Early Education and Care (EEC) Teacher. In addition to her preschool teaching roles, Yelena teaches piano in the SSAES Enrichment Activities program and continues to offer private piano instruction to children, hosts recitals to showcase her students’ hard work and talent to the community. Yelena has dedicated her life to teaching and enjoys working with her colleagues who are as passionate, dedicated, professional, and caring towards students as she is.
Anna Kupelian, M.A., Nursery IA Teacher
Anna Kupelian has been teaching at St. Stephen’s Preschool since 1999. She earned her Masters in Language Arts degree from the University of Russian And Foreign Languages in Yerevan. During her extensive teaching career, Anna has had an opportunity to work with children of different ages and considers working with preschool age children as the most enjoyable and rewarding experience. Preschool education is the foundation on which more complex education is built. She truly believes that this is the time when educators can make the children feel capable of achieving things, teach them to be proud of their heritage and culture, and shape them as honest and respectful citizens. With this belief and mission, Anna enters the school every day to bring more passion, creativity, and engagement in her classroom.
Svetlana Vehapetian, Nursery IA Co-Teacher
Svetlana Vehapetian is a Nursery II Co-Teacher. at St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School since 2000. Svetlana is passionate about teaching children through play, dance, and song and enjoys watching children grow and learn over time. The proud parent of two SSAES alumni, she considers it a great privilege and opportunity to teach at an Armenian school and nurture the love of Armenian language, history, and culture in an educational setting.
Tirouhi Bazarbashian, Nursery IIA Teacher
Tirouhi Bazarbashian began her journey with St. Stephen’s Preschool in 2001 and has been in the early child development field for more than two fun-filled decades. She is a Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) certified Lead Teacher and also has completed Child Development, Behavior Management, Early Childhood Curriculum and Art and Music for Young Children courses at Mass Bay Community College. As an educator, Tirouhi uses her strengths of positivity and inclusivity to foster a safe emotional learning environment. She feels working with children is as exciting for her as she hopes it is for the children! She loves reading stories aloud and encouraging and teaching children to tell stories, build great imagination, comprehension, and literacy. Tirouhi believes that early childhood education is very important because it helps lay the foundation for learning and that all children deserve to have a safe educational environment to learn, have fun, and grow.
Siranush Tenekedzhyan, Pre-Nursery Teacher
Siranush was born and raised in Gyumri, Armenia, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and did an internship with the Ministry of Justice in Yerevan. After moving to the United States, she became an active member of the SSAES community as a parent, volunteer, and substitute teacher, before joining the preschool staff as a Pre-Nursery teacher. Certified by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), Siranush has continued her studies at North Shore Community College, focusing on expressive arts and children’s literature. Passionate about her belief that the foundation of early childhood education is play-based learning, in her classroom she brings creativity and warmth, encouraging imagination through the arts, play, and exploration. Siranush is dedicated to nurturing her students’ intellectual and social-emotional growth, building their confidence, and encouraging their natural curiostiy.
Maral Derderian, Nursery IIB Teacher
Maral Derderian was born in Aleppo, Syria and moved with her family to Watertown, Massachusetts. After graduating from Watertown High School in 1982, she started teaching at St. Stephen’s Saturday School where her mother was also a teacher. Her mother’s passion for teaching Armenian language and culture to the next generation inspired her to pursue a career in teaching. In 1984, when St. Stephen’s first opened its doors as a bilingual day preschool with eight students, Maral joined the faculty as an Armenian teacher and an assistant teacher. After a hiatus during which time she completed her Bachelors of Science degree in early childhood education from Lesley College (University), Maral returned to teaching at St. Stephen’s. For over three decades, she has served as a nursery teacher at St. Stephen’s Preschool. Maral strongly believes that teaching is not just her profession, it is a calling, a passion, and a deep desire to teach and inspire her students.
Margarita Harutunyan, Nursery IIB T-Assistant
Margarita Harutyunyan was born in Gyumri, Armenia. She graduated from S. Mussalyan School and she attended Tigranyan Music School majoring in piano. Margarita earned her bachelor’s degree in Pedagogy and Methodology of Elementary Education with a specialization in music from M. Nalbandyan Pedagogical Institute and was awarded a Teacher Qualification for High School from the State Examination Board. Upon graduation, she began her career as an elementary school teacher in #23 secondary school, where she taught for 13 years. After moving to the United Sates, Margarita continued her passion for teaching. Parent of an SSAES alum, Margarita joined the faculty at St. Stephen’s Armenian Preschool and is a certified Lead Teacher by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (ECC). In her classroom, Margarita is dedicated to teaching children Armenian culture, language, and history, while nurturing their love of learning.
Laura Terzian, Pre-Nursery Teacher
Laura Terzian was born and raised in Yerevan, Armenia where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Radio Engineering from the National Polytechnic University of Armenia, in 1990. Four years later, Laura made her journey to the United States, and shortly afterward she joined the faculty at the St. Stephen’s Armenian Preschool. After a hiatus when she assisted with her family’s business, Laura returned to teaching at the SSAES Preschool as a Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) certified Lead Teacher. A parent of two SSAES alumni, Laura is a natural-born nurturer and loves every aspect of her teaching position. Her goal is to educate every child that walks through the doors of her classroom and to instill in them a love for the beautiful Armenian culture and language.
Nayiri Manjikian, Teacher Assistant
Nayiri Manjikian was born in Beirut, Lebanon and was raised in Kessab, Syria, graduating from high school there. She has been teaching children for over 20 years and is a Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) certified Teacher. She began her teaching career at St. Stephens Armenian Saturday School where she continues as a preschool and kindergarten teacher. Nayiri also was an assistant preschool teacher at Newton School for Children. Nayiri joined the St. Stephens Armenian Preschool faculty as an assistant nursery teacher this year, with the goal to help children expand their academic development, while also teaching the Armenian language and culture.