Pulaski Academy (PA) is a private, independent college preparatory preschool, elementary, and junior/senior high school headed by Garry Sullivan 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 Little Rock.
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." 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."
In 2006, Pulaski Academy purchased the campus of Fellowship Bible Church, on the corner of Hinson and Napa Valley, increasing the campus to .
Academics PA is accredited by SAIS (Southern Association of Independent Schools), and ANSAA (Arkansas Non-public School Accrediting Association). PA is a member of the Cum Laude Society, Arkansas Activities Association (AAA), College Board and NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools).
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 the 2009–10 academic year was approximately 1,210 K-12 students, with a student–teacher ratio of 8.9:1.
Extracurricular activities
The school's mascot is the Bruin and school colors are Navy blue and Vegas gold. For 2026-2027 school year, the Pulaski Academy Bruins play in the 4A, 5A, 6A, and 7A Central Conference administered by the Arkansas Activities Association, depending on the sport. Under AAA's Competitive Equity program, independent schools in Arkansas are classified based on team results instead of enrollment. 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.
The school's football team has won nine state championships since 2003. The team was coached by Kevin Kelley until 2021, who gained notoriety for his strategies, which include the total rejection of punting and returning punts, as well as a reliance on the onside kick. The team is now coached by Mark Kelley.Wertheim, Jon. Down 29-0 before touching the ball. Sports Illustrated. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
Athletic state championships The Pulaski Academy Bruins have won 85 state championships:
Wrestling (4x): 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 Girls Tennis (19x): 1980, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1997, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 Boys Tennis (19x): 1987, 2002, Fall 2003, Spring 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2025 Baseball (6x): 1993, 1994, 2002, 2003, 2013, 2026 Girls Soccer (9x): 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2021, 2022, 2024 Boys Soccer (3x): 2000, 2001, 2007 Girls Swimming (2x) 2014, 2015 Football (11x): (2003 3A), (2008 5A), (2011 4A) (2014 5A), (2015 5A), (2016 5A), (2017 5A), (2019 5A), (2020 5A), (2021 5A), (2022 6A) Boys Basketball (2x): 2002, 2003 Girls Basketball (1x): 2026 All Golf Team (5x) : 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006 Dance (3x): 2020, 2021, 2025 Girls Volleyball (1x): 2025
Notable alumni Ashlie Atkinson, actress Ayana Gray, novelist Dusty Hannahs (born 1993), basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League Will Hastings, American football wide receiver Hunter Henry, tight end in the NFL for the New England Patriots John M. Jumper, AI researcher, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry Jason King, former offensive guard in the NFL for the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens Amy Lee, lead singer of Evanescence. The song Listen to the Rain, written by her, was sung at her Class of 2000 graduation ceremony Jonathan Luigs, played in the NFL for the Cincinnati Bengals
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