Going Live: First Annual Silent Auction

In our pursuit of awakening genius in each student, we are raising money to develop a truly lab-driven, hands-on, discovery-based STEM program. Money raised through the auction will go toward a mobile science lab, the purchase of chemicals and scientific equipment through SEPUP, and the development of our MakerSpace.

To visit our silent auction and make your bid, click on our link.

Items for bidding include a wide variety of objects, skills, and experiences:

–from hand-crafted items to guided Adirondack High Peaks trips

–from shore houses to art

–from basketball skills training by a former professional athlete to gift baskets.

Bid on any number of items for a win-win: you get something great for a good price and Sophia Academy continues to provide a great hands-on education for students who learn differently.

J-Term a Success

During J-Term, students chose from one of three options: Robotics, Interactive Humanities, and Fiction World Building. The focus on only one course for an entire month was a welcome break for Sophia Academy students. Here, the Fiction World Building students find the most comfortable and inspiring places to write their stories.

On January 20, students take a break from inventing worlds to watch history being made in this world as our first female vice-president is sworn into office.

Lovin’ Our Classroom Space

We moved! Sophia Academy’s new home provides plenty of space for our multi-sensory, hands-on education for learning differently. And we have plenty of room to welcome new students. With rolling admissions, Sophia admits students throughout the year. Call 267-595-4723 or email us at info@sophiaphila.org for information. Now enrolling grades 9-12.

In the Time of Corona

Sophia Academy has been fortunate this fall to be able to hold most of our classes outside, which has enabled us to safely continue in-person education. Art classes, history classes, even math and science have been outside. When colder weather sets in, we will be using natural ventilation as well as air purifiers to continue to keep our students and staff free from COVID-19.

Moving from color theory to skills in copying pictures, students are eager to use the right side of their brains.

Archeological DIG returns

Sophia Academy believes in learning the past by entering the past. So when we study ancient cultures, students take on the roles of archeologists as they decipher specific cultures created by their classmates. It’s a great way to understand the concepts of culture and civilization and tends to make learning ancient cultures more memorable. After studying early Mesopotamian and African cultures, students learned skills needed to carefully engage in an archeological dig: locating a site, organizing the site, carefully removing soil layer by layer, retrieving and possibly fitting “ancient” artifacts together, recording locations, soil types, and depths of finds, and finally, analyzing the artifact in order to decipher the culture.

Sophia Academy Introduces J-Term: Robotics, World Building, and Interactive Humanities

We are excited to announce that Sophia Academy is offering three one-credit courses during the month of January. Students will end the first semester on December 18 just before winter break. When they return, they will begin to study the course of their choice: Robotics, Fiction World Building, or Interactive Humanities: The Renaissance.

What will we build?

Studying only one course for four weeks enables students to learn deeply as well as widely. Exercising choice provides motivation just at the point of the school year when it begins to flag.

Creating a world with your imagination

One of our teachers has vast experience in leading robotics teams and in judging robotics competition. Two teachers are writers and have completed novels under their belts. Our staff’s knowledge of art, literature, history, architecture and music provides a great base for studying the humanities.

As in all Sophia classes, emphasis will be on hands-on, multi-sensory learning. We are looking forward to a great year!

COVID-19 Update


The Sophia Academy family has been healthy through the last six months for which we are very thankful. We also thank God that as a small school, we are perfectly set up to meet the CDC guidelines for re-opening school. A primary recommendation is that students remain in small cohorts: we automatically do so by virtue of having classes that are never larger than seven students. Guidelines for masks, shields, and cleaning schedules will be followed each day. Other than on rainy days, we plan to have as many classes as possible outside–until the weather turns cold. After that, Sophia will use fans to move the air around, thus imitating the outdoors. Specifically, students will 

  • have their temperatures taken daily
  • agree to self-report any potential COVID-19 symptoms in their families 
  • wear masks and face shields when necessary
  • continue to practice social distancing 
  • wash or sanitize hands each hour at a minimum
  • avoid sharing school supplies

The school will wipe down commonly touched surfaces several times a day and sanitize the rooms at the end of each day.

The number one best way to handle the novel Coronavirus is not to catch it in the first place.



Welcome New Teachers!

We are happy to announce that Mr. Peter Brockman and Mrs. Amy Kelly will be joining the Sophia faculty this year.

Mr. Brockman comes to us with many years experience teaching Math, Science, and Computer Technology. He has degrees in mechanical engineering and business management as well as secondary education. He has led robotics teams, judged competitions, been a grant partner with a NASA scientist, has used and taught CAD software, pursued project based learning, and engages in woodworking and gardening in his spare time.  Besides these skills, Mr. Brockman has taken flying lessons and taught for a year in a small Native American village in Alaska.  

Mrs. Kelly is a traveling art teacher, having taught most recently at Center for Education in New Jersey and also at the Philadelphia Performing Arts Charter School. A graduate in Fine Arts (BFA) from Kutztown University, Mrs Kelly is a portrait artist, a jewelry designer, and enjoys turning her hand to anything from sand blasting to cabinet making.

Facebook Live Open House

Join us June 29, 2020 at 7:00 pm for our first Facebook Live virtual open house. Hear about multi-sensory education and how it helps struggling students succeed academically. Find out about a hands-on way to study science and math and history.

Sophia Academy–dedicated to awakening genius in every student.

Sophia Academy Offers Encouragement, Fun, and Solid Academics.

Sophia Academy is committed to awakening genius in high school students with learning differences even during a COVID-19 pandemic. We are preparing now for in-person school, hands-on online classes, and hybrid courses for the opening of school year 2020-21.

Sophia Academy’s model includes small classes, personal attention, and a multi-sensory, rigorous education. Call now for an interview: 267-577-8020.