Advocate for inclusion, diversity, equity, and justice. Founder of the only independent inclusion school in NYC, The IDEAL School of Manhattan. Audra partnered with educators committed to creating a school that teaches and reaches children of all backgrounds, socioeconomic levels, races, genders, cultures, sexual orientations, and religions, as well as a broad range of learning styles, readiness levels, and abilities. The IDEAL School of Manhattan is built on this philosophy of inclusion and is committed to extending the definition of diversity in education to include all learners. The school’s core principles and the foundation of its mission are built into its name and acronym: Inclusion, Diversity, Excellence, Acceptance, and Leadership.
The IDEAL School opened its doors in 2006 with 20 students in kindergarten to second grade. In the years since, IDEAL has grown from elementary school, to Middle School, and now K-12 with more than 200 students. IDEAL’s first seniors finished High School in June 2018 and each one continued their educational journeys on diverse paths as unique as they are, equipped with the skills and motivation to be leaders in their communities, dedicated to building a more just and equitable world.