We are excited to announce Tricia Noyola as our new Chief Executive Officer, effective November 2, 2022! 
Originally, as part of the merger with Rocky Mountain Prep announced in August, Tricia was going to take the lead as CEO beginning July 2023. But as we started working through the integration process this year, we realized that having her lead as CEO sooner than later would allow for better integration of our two networks. Students, staff, and the community will be better served this year by having a clear vision and consistent leadership from Tricia.
We are excited that Tricia is willing to take on this role earlier. Tricia knows from her own lived experience the transformative power of education for all students. Growing up in the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas, she was mentored by family, friends, and educators to reach her full potential. Thanks to her strong leadership, Rocky Mountain Prep is a great place for teachers to work and for students to learn. RMP schools have all been given a Green rating by the Colorado Department of Education and, due to its high performance, RMP recently received a $4.5 million grant from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.
As we announced in August, by uniting with Rocky Mountain Prep, STRIVE Prep will gain four high-performing ECE to 5th-grade elementary schools, currently operated by Rocky Mountain Prep. This will be a great addition to STRIVE Prep schools which next year will include: five elementary schools, six middle schools, and two high schools in the Denver metro area.
Benefits of uniting into one school system:
- Ability to direct additional resources to the classroom
- Stronger academics
- Amplify focus on social-emotional learning
- Continue successful college and career outcomes for all students, including exceptional results for special education and multilingual students.
Having Tricia lead both organizations going forward will allow us to realize the benefits of the merger more quickly. We are confident you will soon see the benefits of a unified network. By bringing our two organizations together sooner, we will be able to more effectively deliver a high-performing early childhood to 12th-grade educational pathway for families.
Additionally, as a result of these changes, Jessica Johnson has stepped away from her role as Interim CEO of STRIVE Prep. We are grateful for all Jessica has done over the past three months to lay the foundation for a successful merger and for her many years of service to STRIVE Prep. Prior to this role, she served as our General Counsel and has always gone above and beyond to fight for the interests of the STRIVE Prep community. As general counsel, Jessica managed the legal affairs of STRIVE Prep during the particularly challenging times that faced the education sector in the past few years and actively collaborated with external stakeholders to navigate many complex matters on behalf of STRIVE Prep. Jessica has provided critical counsel and advice to all members of our organization, including senior leaders and the Board of Directors, and we are grateful for the deep support and guidance Jessica has provided to all areas of STRIVE Prep. Jessica has also been a fierce advocate for the charter school community, both in her personal and professional life. Her contributions to STRIVE Prep are many and will be long-lasting. We are a stronger and more successful organization because of her commitment to STRIVE Prep. Jessica is a highly regarded attorney, in Colorado and nationally, and we wish her the best in her future endeavors.
Tricia is eager to get to know the entire STRIVE Prep community better and, along with connecting with our families, there will be opportunities for you to connect with her as well. Stay tuned for more about how you can connect.
Take a moment to get to know Tricia in this video.
For additional information or questions, you can connect with us using this online form and through email at connect@striveprep.org.
Thank you,
STRIVE Prep
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