Imagine a school where you’re free to be exactly who you are.
Where you can find your voice and secure your place in the world.
Everyone deserves to feel safe being their true, authentic selves. Sadly, we know that’s not the case for many LGBTQ+ students in schools across the country.
At PROUD Academy, our mission is to provide a nurturing and affirming learning community, free from bullying and harassment, where you can be YOU.
Discover What You’ll Be Learning
We are excited to offer the History UnErased curriculum to our students. What does this mean? The Unerased mission is to put LGBTQ history into its rightful place – the classroom.
History UnErased helps to ensure that all students, today and beyond, learn a more complete story of America by looking at who “We the people” includes, promoting genuine understanding and equality for all LGBTQ+ people, and improving the history all students receive.
Additionally, we will present modules from Self Evident Education as a means of helping to dismantle racism. The premise behind these modules is that if we do not fully understand the history of race in the United States, we cannot fully understand American history. We need to understand the role race plays in our history, culture, and who we are as a country.
PROUD Academy students will use their own minds, voices, and understanding to create a future that reflects how they see themselves, not how others see them.
Discover What You’ll be Doing
PROUD Academy will be a fully inclusive, all around middle school. What does this mean? You’ll attend classes like Math, Language Arts, and Science and Social Studies, but you’ll also have exciting opportunities to explore the community through our partnerships with local organizations like the Ansonia Nature Center, and the Valley Arts Council.
And – we will offer a whole range of after school activities, too!
Discover Your Voice
At PROUD Academy, we believe in the power of student voices.
As a student, you’ll have the opportunity to be part of our Youth Advisory Committee, which will actively help shape school policies, including the dress code, to ensure they reflect the identities of all students.
Through programs like the Stonewall Youth Speaker Training, you’ll be equipped with the speaking skills to be an influential advocate and educator on LGBTQ+ issues – empowering you to have a voice and lead while making a difference in the wider community!
Discover Yourself
Ready to get started? We’re happy to be accepting interest applications, as we await the possibility of becoming a Charter School.
As we grow, we will update our enrollment offerings.
Extracurricular Activities For All Interests
Through our potential location at The Boys & Girls Club in Ansonia, PROUD Academy students have the opportunity to participate in a range of after-school programs. This also allows students to have a choice to remain at school until 6PM.
We Are Also Exploring Offering
Peer Mediation Training
Yoga and Mindfulness Classes
Youth Stonewall Speaker Training
Musical Theater Programs/Drama
Art Classes
We anticipate having partnerships that offer additional opportunities for fun and learning.
We need your input!
As we prepare to open PROUD Academy, we need your feedback to ensure we’re building a school that meets your needs!
A Letter From Our Founder
Welcome to PROUD Academy. We are a small, unique learning community committed to an inclusive education. At PROUD we wholeheartedly embrace the diversity of LGBTQ+ students, their families and allies. We see all diversity as a strength.
We value a school where every student has an equal opportunity for a progressive education, while providing opportunities to find your voice, build confidence, empower yourself, and secure your place in this world.
As the founder, I am passionate about this school. Knowing the value of students and teachers being in a safe and affirming school community is priceless. When I was a teacher/principal, I spent 15 years “in the closet” living in fear of colleagues finding out I was in the LGBTQ family. I pretended to be someone else. I wasted a lot of time. Once I came out, I valued and respected being my true self. Now, I want to make sure students at PROUD Academy don’t live in fear, or waste precious time, like I did.
By working with teachers and staff who represent you and understand your journey, I hope your life will be completely enhanced/changed by the PROUD experience—you will enter this world as a young person with solid academic knowledge, and the confidence that comes from embracing who you are.
We are more than a school. We are a movement! I welcome you to our school. I welcome you to this movement! We will embrace this journey together.
Proudly,
Patty Nicolari
PROUD Academy Founder