Dear Families,
I have been surrounded by education and passionate about learning for as long as I can remember. As the son of a kindergarten teacher, I grew up spending many evenings, weekends, and summers in the classroom. Some of my earliest memories are of sharpening boxes of pencils, helping students tie their shoes, and hanging name tags on cubbies.
In high school, I spent my summers as a camp counselor, leading adventure and learning activities for 8- and 9-year-olds. I continued in that role for six summers, and it was during this time that I developed a lifelong passion for being outdoors and exploring nature. I went on to attend Northern Illinois University, where I formally began my journey in education. Alongside my studies, I volunteered as a swim instructor for Special Olympics athletes. And somewhere along the way, I developed another passion that has stuck with me ever since, coffee!
After graduating from NIU with a B.S. in Education, it was time to take my sense of adventure somewhere new. Inspired by an unusually cold Chicago winter, I decided that a tropical island sounded like a pretty good place to continue my educational journey. I packed up everything I owned and moved to Key West, Florida.
In Key West, I became a founding teacher at Somerset Island Prep in 2011. I worked alongside the other founding members to build the school and its culture from the ground up. I soon became Dean, and in 2017, I was named principal of the school.
Somerset Island Prep became known throughout the Florida Keys as the “Adventure School,” famous for unique field trips, unforgettable experiences, and even our “Jet Ski” graduation ceremonies. But our greatest success came from creating a culture where every student was greeted with a good morning, treated with respect, and held to high expectations. We believed that when students feel valued, supported, and challenged, they can achieve great things. That combination of caring relationships, high expectations, and a willingness to think differently helped Somerset become known not only for adventure, but also for strong academic results.
After 16 years with the Somerset family in Key West, I am excited to continue that journey with Somerset in Little Rock and begin a new chapter in a new community. I look forward to bringing a culture of caring, high academic expectations, a sense of adventure, and—of course—a love of coffee to my new school community. Most of all, I am excited to get to know the students, families, and educators of Little Rock and to help create a school where every student feels known, supported, challenged, and excited to learn.
With excitement,
Mr. Rompella
Principal
Somerset Academy Little Rock
