Mission & Leadership

Vision

An equitable world where girls and women
are seeking fulfillment, realizing their dreams,
and inspiring others.

Facts About Sophia Academy

• Approximately 60 students in grades 5-8

• 284 graduates

• 16 full- and part-time teaching and guidance faculty

• 100% of Sophia Academy graduates earn a high school diploma; most matriculate to higher education

• 69% of our graduates are in the first generation in their family to go directly from high school to higher education          

• 72% of Sophia Academy students qualify for free or reduced meals

• The school’s budget in 2022-2023 is approximately $1.7 million

• Sophia’s $2.1 million endowment is invested with the Rhode Island Foundation

• The school is accredited by the Association of Independent Schools of New England (AISNE) and is a member of the International Coalition of Girls Schools (ICGS) and National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)

Leadership

Founded in 2001 by Sr. Mary Reilly, RSM, Sophia Academy is the only independent all-girls middle school in Rhode Island focusing on the intellectual and emotional growth of students from low-income families. Our motto, “reflecting wisdom in the girl,” captures the essence of our school as a place that draws forth each girl’s inherent wisdom, helps her to find her voice, guides her to embrace challenges and develop her intellect, and sets her on a path to discover and realize her dreams. Sophia Academy mission springs from Sister Mary’s vision: to provide a rigorous, relevant, empowering education, preparing our students to be successful in high school and beyond, helping them to lead their lives as confident, compassionate women.

Recently inducted into the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame, Sister Mary has spent her life helping women reach their full potential through literacy, employment, advocacy, and community involvement; she was influenced by years spent in Central America where she developed her feminist conscience, and by a sabbatical at the United Nations and the report of the 1995 UN Conference on the Girl Child.

These experiences inspired Sister Mary to gather the Sisters Collaborative, a community of passionate women, and to lead them in launching Sophia Academy.

In 2007, Gigi DiBello succeeded Sister Mary and became the first Head of School. Under her leadership, the school enhanced its academic program, raised funds to purchase and renovate a building for its first permanent home, and earned accreditation from the Association of Independent Schools of New England. DiBello’s vision was to create an intellectually rigorous environment that would not only guide girls to continue their education beyond middle school and eventually move out of poverty, but would help them develop strong voices to advocate for themselves and for others.

In 2018, Maura Farrell began at Sophia as Head of School, after time as the associate head of school at Winchester Thurston in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. During her tenure from 2018-2023, Farrell worked with the faculty, board, and community to get to know the Providence community, understand Sophia’s key strengths and assets, articulate a “portrait of the Sophia graduate,” benchmark Sophia’s programs, finances, and outcomes, and build a vision and plan for Sophia’s future vitality. She collaborated with others at the school to build upon the school’s strong core by pursuing opportunities for growth so that the school could have an even greater positive impact, and was instrumental in a very successful 20th anniversary campaign.