Sphinx Academy: New School Combines Montessori, Homeschooling, Special Education

Wafaa Elghoroury, a Lexington mother of three ages 7 to 14, has embraced a sampling of educational philosophies.

She earned a medical degree in her native Egypt and a U.S. bachelor’s degree in special education.

She is also trained in upper elementary and secondary Montessori education, and she has experienced homeschooling.

“I appreciate all the educational approaches I have studied. Each has its advantages and disadvantages,” she said. “I wish to bring together the best in all these approaches.”

Elghoroury has put that thought into practice with the foundation of a new school – the Sphinx Academy, a secondary school serving seventh-12th grades and opens in the fall of 2013 on Winchester Road.

She chose the name because like the mythological figure, her school is a hybrid of ideas, combining the independence of learning at one’s own pace associated with Montessori, the freedom of exploration associated with homeschooling, and the use of multiple intelligences strategies associated with special education.

When in the classroom, students will follow the Connections Learning curricula, an online course provider that offers multiple levels for core subjects and over 120 electives.

“We want to allow students to pursue interests they might not otherwise have the freedom to pursue,” Elghoroury said.

“Because our students will not have to wait academically on others, we can improve each child’s chance of getting to where they can be their best.”