Brittany Rumph stood still in the hallway of Innova Girls Academy as if to take the moment all in. This school was something she envisioned just six years ago, and ever since the doors opened in 2023 it has felt surreal for the School of the Arts graduate.
“I'm just honored that families consistently choose to have us be a part of their village,” Rumph said. “I am honored that my staff chose me to lead them.”
Rumph is the co-founder and head of school academics for the all-girls charter school. It’s the only charter school in Monroe County that solely enrolls girls from kindergarten through fourth grade. But, if someone had told Rumph that opening a school would be in her future, she probably would have laughed.
“I did not want to do it. I tried to talk myself out of it a lot,” Rumph admitted. “But, if another charter school was going to open in my city, it was important to me that it was ran by someone who is from the community, understands the community, and has a heart to serve the community.”
Building Excellent Schools, a Boston organization that provides fellowships to potential charter school founders, saw potential in Rumph and enrolled her in its program.
More than 200 young girls are enrolled at Innova with a few on the waiting list. The school continues to expand by grade level each year and it includes a special education department. Next year, Rumph and her staff will be accepting their first fifth grade class.
“I love some of the students. I love the teachers, and it's really fun,” said Jae’dyn Johnson, a fourth grader who recently transferred from another charter school. “They're not bullying, and it's like a sisterhood.”
The feeling of sisterhood can also be felt among the staff. Celina Sims has been teaching at Innova since it opened. With almost 15 years as an educator, Sims said she finally feels valued at an institution.
“When I was in other places, I was a number,” Sims said. “For us, the women and the men that work here, it’s a place of empowerment.”
Sims said Rumph creates a work culture where the wellbeing of her staff is just as important as the progress of the students.
“I love children,” Rumph said. “I especially have a sweet spot for children who grow up in inner cities, because that's where I grew up.”
Rumph spent part of her childhood living on Conkey Avenue in the northeast part of the city and later moved to Hudson Avenue where she said she spent most of her days reading in the trees. Her time spent at SOTA was dedicated to dance and academics, which led to a career in special education and dance instruction.
Her teaching methods became the model for other educators and they're still what she uses to train her staff at Innova.
“I constantly remind them that, in Rochester, the ability to read and do math is life or death, and that's it,” Rumph said.
Innova Girls Academy also places an emphasis on STEAM learning. Rumph believes it’s important for girls to be exposed to science, tech, engineering, the arts, and mathematics at a young age.
“I want them to know that they can do whatever they want to do. They can be whatever they want to be,” Rumph said. “My legacy will outlive me through my students.”
