Pulaski Academy

Pulaski Academy (PA) is a private, independent college preparatory preschool, elementary, and junior/senior high school headed by Matthew Walsh in the Pleasant Valley neighborhood of Little Rock, Arkansas, United States. PA was established in 1971 as a segregation academy and remains as the only independent, non-sectarian, college preparatory school in Arkansas.[2]

Not to be confused with the Pulaski Academy in Pulaski, New York.
Pulaski Academy
Address
12701 Hinson Road

Little Rock
,
Arkansas
Coordinates34°46′18″N 92°24′53″W
Information
TypePrivate Secondary
Established1971 (1971)
StatusOpen
CEEB code041444
NCES School ID00048235[1]
HeadmasterMathew Walsh
Grades2 year old–12 grade
Enrollment1221 [1] (2016–2016)
CampusSuburban
Campus size32 acres (13 ha)
Color(s)  Navy blue
  Vegas gold   White
MascotBruin
NicknamePA
Team namePulaski Academy Bruins
AffiliationsNonsectarian
Websitewww.pulaskiacademy.org

History

When busing was introduced in the early 1970s to counteract the effects of racially defined residential patterns, whites built private schools in the suburbs or fled the county altogether. In 1971, the segregationist businessman William F. Rector announced the construction of the private Pulaski Academy in the western suburbs of the city for those, he said, who "don't like busing."[3][4][5] Pulaski was the first school established after the Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education decision (1971). Rector said, "I even hope we'll be allowed to play Dixie if we want to without having a riot about it."[6]

In 2003, one of 102 graduating seniors was black.[7]

In the 2015–2016 school year, 955 of 1,221 students in grades 1-12 were white (78%).[8] In 2016, Little Rock was 48% white.

In 2000, Pulaski Academy purchased the campus of Fellowship Bible Church, on the corner of Hinson and Napa Valley, increasing the campus to 32 acres (13 ha).

Academics

PA is accredited by ISACS (Independent Schools Association of the Central States),[2] and ANSAA (Arkansas Non-public School Accrediting Association). PA is a member of the Cum Laude Society, Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), Arkansas Activities Association (AAA), College Board and NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools).[9]

Pulaski Academy was named 2003 "Best of the Best" Private High School by the readers of an Arkansas Democrat-Gazette contest.

During the 2008–09 academic year, fifteen members of the Class of 2009 were named as National Merit Scholars, three as Commended Scholars and twelve as Finalists. Enrollment for 2009-10 is approximately 1,210 K-12 students, with a student/teacher ratio of 8.9:1.[1]

Extracurricular activities

The school's mascot is the Bruin and school colors are Navy blue and Vegas gold. For 2012–14, the Pulaski Academy Bruins play in the 5A Central Conference administered by the Arkansas Activities Association. The school participates in baseball, basketball (boys/girls), cheer, cross country, Pom, football, soccer (boys/girls), softball, swimming and diving (boys/girls), tennis (boys/girls), golf (boys/girls) volleyball(girls), lacrosse (boys/girls), and wrestling.[10]

The school's football team, which has won nine state championships since 2003, is coached by Kevin Kelley, who has gained notoriety for his strategies, which include the total rejection of punting and returning punts, as well as a reliance on the onside kick.[11][12][13][14]

Athletic state championships

The Pulaski Academy Bruins have won 67 state championships:[15]

  • Wrestling (3x): 2018, 2019, 2020
  • Girls Tennis (15x): 1980, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1994, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020
  • Boys Tennis (16x): 1987, 2002, Fall 2003, Spring 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
  • Baseball (5x): 1993, 1994, 2002, 2003, 2013 5A
  • Girls Soccer (6x): 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012
  • Boys Soccer (3x): 2000, 2001, 2007
  • Football (9x): (2003 3A), (2008 5A), (2011 4A) (2014 5A), (2015 5A), (2016 5A), (2017 5A), (2019 5A), (2020 5A)
  • Boys Basketball (2x): 2002, 2003
  • All Golf Team (5x) : 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006
  • Dance (1x) : 2020

Notable alumni

References
  1. "Search for Private Schools – School Detail for Pulaski Academy". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved Aug 26, 2012.
  2. "ISACS School Profile, Pulaski Academy". ISACS. Retrieved Aug 24, 2012.
  3. "Civil Rights Movement (Twentieth Century) - Encyclopedia of Arkansas".
  4. Cope, Graeme (2019). ""A mockery for education"? Little Rock's Thomas J. Raney High School during the Lost Year, 1958-1959". The Arkansas Historical Quarterly. 78 (3): 248–273. ISSN 0004-1823. JSTOR 26856263.
  5. Kirk, John A. (2005). ""A Study in Second Class Citizenship": Race, Urban Development, and Little Rock's Gillam Park, 1934-2004". The Arkansas Historical Quarterly. 64 (3): 262–286. doi:10.2307/40028048. ISSN 0004-1823. JSTOR 40028048. In 1971, when legal action threatened to circumvent the purpose of residential segregation by forcing cross-city busing of students to ensure integrated schools, Rector announced the construction of the private Pulaski Academy for those who "don't like bussing"
  6. Whayne, Jeannie M. (June 1, 2013). Arkansas: A Narrative History. University of Arkansas Press. p. 427. ISBN 9781557289933.
  7. Guerrero, Perla M. (2017). Nuevo South: Latinas/os, Asians, and the Remaking of Place. University of Texas Press Austin. p. 42. ISBN 9781477314449. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  8. "Private School Universe Survey". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  9. Accreditation and Memberships. "Discover PA". Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  10. "School Profile, Pulaski Academy". Arkansas Activities Association. Retrieved Aug 24, 2012.
  11. Wertheim, Jon. Down 29-0 before touching the ball. Sports Illustrated. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
  12. "At last, San Diego State may be shirking the punt". Matt Hinton, CBS sports blogger. Retrieved Aug 24, 2012.
  13. "The High School Football Coach Who Never Punts". FiveThirtyEight.
  14. Mojica, Adrian (September 12, 2019). "Tennessee high school to draw national attention during football game against Arkansas foe". Nashville, TN: WZTV. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
  15. "2012-13 Arkansas State Sports Record Book" (PDF). Arkansas Activities Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-05-31. Retrieved Aug 24, 2012.
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