Open Wings Child Care Center
Education
WELCOME TO OPEN WINGS CHILD CARE CENTER
Creating a Brighter Future
WELCOME TO OPEN WINGS CHILD CARE CENTER
Creating a Brighter Future
Arpie Ashjian
Owner/Director
My dream as a young child was to become a teacher, and my love for teaching children grew during my college years while I was a nanny for multiple families. After I had my two children, Araz and Sarine, I was given the opportunity to teach preschool in an Armenian private school where my teaching career started. For more than 8 years, I was blessed to have had the opportunity to work with and learn from experienced professionals in the Early Childhood field. As my children graduated the school system, I shifted gears in my career and started my own Family Child Care. After seven wonderful years of serving young families, I decided to expand the program and move to a larger location. My goal for Open Wings Child Care Center is to keep the nurturing family atmosphere in the classroom setting while keeping the needs of each child a priority. Our Philosophy at Open Wings is to Nurture and Love children during their early years as well as plant “Seeds of Kindness” for a better tomorrow.Outside of work, I enjoy traveling, reading and spending time with family and friends. I am also actively involved with my church and the Sayat Nova Dance Company of Boston where we preserve and promote our Armenian Faith and Culture.
Reena Panian
Aqua Room
Pre-K: 4-5 Yrs
My name is Reena Panian and I work with the toddlers at Open Wings Center. I come from a very large family, and from a young age, I have known that I love to play and watch children. I was always (and still am) the go to family member for babysitting duties and I don't mind at all! Throughout my life I have dedicated a lot of time taking care of children and I enjoy every minute. I adore and love children, and love watching them grow and develop their own personalities. I graduated from Bunker Hill Community College with a major in Early Childhood Education. I have been at Open Wings for six years and am so very happy to be a part of this center’s family. Open Wings has been a home away from home for me, and I truly believe the social aspects and development of each child prospers here. In my spare time, I love to draw, write, and spend time with my family, friends, and my four year old dog Cooper.
Maryam Dezfoly
Aqua Room
Pre-K: 4-5 Yrs
My name is Maryam Dezfoly. I am originally from Iran and moved to the United States in 2014. I have been a preschool teacher for 7 years. I always enjoy working with children because they bring love, joy and happiness into my world. My goal is to make children happy and comfortable with their new environment when they are away from their families. My priority is to meet their needs and provide the best childcare.
During my free time, I like to cook Persian foods, bake new pastries, and spend time with my family. My favorite sport is Badminton, and my favorite TV show is Heartland on Netflix.
I look forward to starting a new chapter of my life at Open Wings Childcare Center.
Jenn Vogel
Yellow Room
Preschool: 2 Yrs 9 Months-4 Yrs
Hi my name is Jenn. I have been working in the childcare field for 16 years. I have spent 10+ years working with infants and toddlers, I was also a Director of a preschool for a couple of years. I have an Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from Mass Bay Community College. I am continuing on for my Bachelor’s degree and also looking to get my ABA Certification for Autistic children. In my spare time I enjoy doing puzzles, reading mystery books and spending time with my family and my pets.
Kiki (Christine) Karakouzian
Blue Room
Preschool: 2 Yrs-2 Yrs 9 Months
Hello! My name is Kiki (Christine) Karakouzian and I have been at Open Wings for quite some time now! I love watching all the kids grow and learn new things every day! I am currently a nursing student at UMass Boston and I just finished my third year of school. I hope to one day become a pediatric nurse (it’s my dream to work at Children’s Hospital!) and continue taking care of babies and young kids, but for now I’m excited to officially become a teacher here in the fall and have a new role at Open Wings! Being the oldest child in the family, I was given a lot of responsibility at a young age. I would always babysit my little sister and my little cousins, and still do to this day! In my free time, I love to spend time with my friends, dance with the Sayat Nova Dance Company, play piano, travel, and hang out with my dog Champ!
Jovita Ovosco
Blue Room
Older Toddlers: 2 Yrs-2 Yrs 9 Months
Hello Families,My name is Jovita and I came to the United States from a small town in Guatemala called San Marcos. I have lived in Watertown for almost 5 years with my husband Salvador and my daughter Melissa. My dream has always been to work with children and I’ve always been passionate to help children grow and teach them every day. I always like to help in my church taking care of the Sunday School and teaching young children about God. I try to always help my community, my friends and my family. My Goal is to finish my Associate degree in Early Childhood Education and become a better teacher every day. Working as a floater teacher gives me the opportunity to get to know all the children and their families in the Center. I love to spend time in each classroom and see the children grow in different stages and I’m always happy to help all the teachers in the Center. During my free time I like to be with my family and be involved in activities such as going to church, reading the Bible and talking with my daughter. I like cooking all the Guatemalan and Salvadorian delicious meals as well. I look forward to caring for your children.
Brenda Zavala
Green Room
Infants: 3-15 Months
Hello!My name is Brenda Zavala and I am from Guatemala City. I arrived to the United States in December 2016 with my daughter. I currently live with my husband Angel and my two kids Allison and Asiel. We really like to go outside and play with our dog Macho. I also love getting to know new people and learning about different cultures. I have always wanted to work with kids, and I am incredibly happy to be a member of this center where I am one of the preschool teachers in the Yellow Room. This is my second year in Open Wings, and I have had fun teaching and playing with the kids and knowing all of you. I really like to work in the classroom and make connections with the kids. I am always inspired to be a better teacher which is why I decided to continue my studies in childhood at Urban College of Boston. Receiving my EEC license as a preschool teacher was a great achievement for me and my family. Every class that I took help me understand the kids and provide a great learning experience where they can feel loved and valued. I like focusing on their social and emotional development so that we can develop a great connection where we are all respectful and create a safe environment. During my free time I like to read and spend a lot of time with my family doing different activities such as visiting museums, parks, and going to church. We also really enjoy making stops to the ice cream store!I am happy to be here and share this adventure with my coworkers and the families, creating a strong Open Wings Community.
Carissa Somma
Green Room
Infants: 3-15 Months
Hi! My name is Carissa. I am a new teacher here at Open Wings, but I have been an Open Wings parent since 2018. My education and work experience has primarily been in the healthcare field as a Physical Therapist. I learned about pediatrics and development while in school and always found it interesting. I was fortunate to work in the public schools as a long-term Physical Therapy sub and just loved engaging with the students while developing individualized activities to facilitate their gross motor development. When I had my first son in 2015, I immediately knew I wanted to make a more permanent shift to working with kids. After working as a PT for many years in a variety of settings I needed a change. I feel very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to work here at Open Wings (both my kids love being here!) I love working with infants and I think the development that occurs in a child’s first 12-18 months of life is so incredible to watch. So much happens in that first year and I enjoy developing creative ways to encourage growth in all aspects of development.
Maggie Keshishian
Floating Assistant
Hello Open Wings Families!My name is Maggie Keshishian and I have been working at Open Wings for the past two years. I am a mom of two teenage boys, and they are my world. I have been a hairdresser for the past 29 years. I also worked as a Teller Supervisor before my kids were born. As I lived in Maryland for the past 20 years, we would come to visit my sister Arpie and all the babies she took care of at her house. We would come often enough that the kids remembered my sons’ names! Eventually my life led me back to Boston and what better way to start a new job than to help my sister at her new center. I am so delighted to be an infant room teacher; they all bring sunshine to my day. I am also the administrative assistant here at the daycare. I have been a part of our church choir for many years, after graduating Sunday School from St. James Armenian Church. My hobbies include singing, dancing, and playing volleyball. My favorite cartoon has always been Tom and Jerry and my favorite TV show is Three’s Company.It is always a pleasure to see each one of your children as I peak through the door every morning to say hi as they yell out my name in unison.
Sarine Ashjian
Floating Assistant
My name is Sarine Ashjian and I’ve been surrounded by Open Wings since I was a little girl. I’ve watched it grow from being a small daycare in my home to a center filled with so much love and endless smiles. I am currently a student at UMass Lowell as a Nursing major, and my goal is to be a pediatric nurse and take care of babies just like my mom. Some things I enjoy when I’m not at work are playing volleyball, traveling and dancing in my Armenian dance group. I started dancing when I was 3 years old and I am a very proud member of the Sayat Nova Dance Company of Boston, where our mission is to preserve and promote the Armenian culture. I have traveled to numerous places with the dance group including Canada, Florida, New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia and even our homeland Armenia. I am very proud of my culture and love to promote and share it with the world any way I can.
Anahid Kenbelian
Office Manager/Bookkeeper
My name is Anahid Kenbelian and I am the proud mother of our director Arpie Ashjian. I have a certificate in Accounting and a true passion for it, which resulted in me becoming the Office manager/bookkeeper here at Open Wings Child Care Center, primarily working on Accounts Payables and Receivables. I have 30 years of experience in finance and accounting including Accounts Receivable/billing, cash applications, customer service and problem solving. I look forward to growing with this company as they grow bigger and help more families trust us to provide the best care they deserve for their precious children.
Araz Ashjian
Administrative Assistant
Hello! My name is Araz Ashjian, and I am the Administrative Assistant here at Open Wings Child Care Center! As you may know, I am Arpie's son, so Open Wings has been a huge part of my life since I was only 12 years old. I grew up with kids in my house and it made me love them so much. I like to think that I am great with kids as they are really a huge passion of mine. I am a senior at Umass Lowell graduating soon with a bachelor's in business management. I am very excited to soon be done with school so I can spend all of my days with the amazing children and staff at Open Wings. On my free time I love hanging out with friends and going on trips. Traveling is a huge part of my life whether it's with family, with friends, or even with the dance group I'm a part of, Sayat Nova Dance Company of Boston.
Open Wings Mission
Tomorrow Starts Now
The mission of Open Wings Child Care Center, Inc. (OWCCC) is to provide high quality, nurturing and affordable childcare for families. OWCCC provides a safe and healthy learning environment that promotes the development of each child’s physical, cognitive, language and social/emotional development.
OWCCC’s mission is also to make a positive difference in our world by teaching our children and instilling in them the importance of kindness towards others, for a better tomorrow.
Our Services
Both full-day and part-day care options.
Quality care for children 2 months through 5 years of age.
Organic meals served: Breakfast, 2 snacks and lunch (included with tuition).
Qualified, loving and caring educators.
Conveniently located in Watertown, MA.
Developmentally appropriate curriculum.
Excellent child:educator ratios of 2 educators for every 7 infants, 2 educators for every 9 toddlers and 2 educators for every 20 preschoolers.
Families are welcome to visit the program unannounced, at any time, while their child is at the Center.
Holidays, Vacations, and Closures
Open Wings Child Care Center will be closed on the following holidays:
- New Year's Day
- Armenian Christmas - January 6 (St James Church has Christmas service)
- Martin Luther King Day
- President’s Day
- Patriots Day
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day – July 4
- Labor Day
- Columbus Day
- Veteran’s Day
- Thanksgiving Day and the day after Thanksgiving.
- NOTE: The Center will close at 1:00 pm on the day before Thanksgiving.
- Christmas break: The Center will be closed from December 24 at 1:00 pm to January 1.
- The Center will be closed for 2 weeks for summer vacation. Dates will be provided on the yearly calendar.
Closures:
In case of inclement weather, OWCCC will follow the Watertown Public School system announcements. If schools are closed, OWCCC will also be closed. If a delayed opening is announced for the Public schools, OWCCC will follow that announcement as well.
Public school cancellations are announced on the following TV and radio stations: WBZ, WCVB, ABC, WHDH, WEEI, and WRKO.
Contact Us
Address:
465 Mount Auburn St, Watertown, MA 02472
Phone:
(617) 780-6032