A Letter from Our Board Chair
Dear Ednovate Community,
At Ednovate, thriving has never been about reaching a single destination. It is about moving forward with purpose—building on what works, responding thoughtfully to change, and remaining relentlessly focused on the students and families we serve.
That is what Drive to Thrive means to us.
Last year marked an important chapter for Ednovate as we celebrated the extraordinary legacy of our co-founder and longtime CEO, Oliver Sicat, and prepared for a new era of leadership. Transitions of this significance naturally bring reflection, but they also provide clarity. Throughout this process, the Board’s responsibility has remained constant: protect the strength of Ednovate’s mission, provide stability for our schools, and ensure that every decision advances the best possible outcomes for students.
We are deeply grateful to Oliver for his vision, leadership, and more than a decade of service. And yet, the mission and purpose of Ednovate is greater than any single person.
The strong schools, talented team, and student-centered systems he helped build have prepared Ednovate to continue moving confidently forward. And, we are equally grateful to Katie Hart for stepping in as our interim CEO with steadiness, experience, and an unwavering belief in our students.
Even during a year of transition, we never lost sight of our mission, and our work was never off track. Our teachers continued delivering high-quality instruction. Our school leaders continued building communities where students feel known, challenged, and supported. Our counselors continued helping students find colleges and career pathways that fit their goals. Our families continued believing in their children and partnering with our schools.
Most importantly, our students continued to thrive.
For the second consecutive year, every Ednovate senior earned acceptance to a four-year college or university. Our 644 graduates earned more than $50 million in scholarships and received thousands of acceptances from more than 200 colleges and universities, with each student earning an average of 10 college acceptances. Across our schools, students also demonstrated their talents through the arts, athletics, leadership, career-connected learning, dual enrollment, and community service.
This year, Ednovate also:
Strengthened academic achievement and college and career readiness across our network.
Expanded opportunities for students to earn college credit and explore meaningful careers.
Deepened our Whole Child approach, including a renewed focus on student wellness.
Continued growing our impact in Orange County while preparing to welcome the founding class of Atlas College Prep.
Invested in the systems, educators, and school leaders who make exceptional student experiences possible.
These achievements reflect something fundamental about Ednovate: we are Better Together. It lives in our mission, our model, and the collective commitment of our students, families, educators, leaders, alumni, partners, and supporters.
As Board Chair, I am confident in the road ahead. We will continue to honor the foundation that has made Ednovate successful while embracing the opportunities of this next chapter. We will remain thoughtful in our decisions, disciplined in our execution, and ambitious about what is possible for every student.
To our donors, partners, and champions: thank you for traveling this road with us. Your trust and investment allow Ednovate to remain steady, continue innovating, and expand pathways to college, careers, and lives filled with purpose and possibility.
To the families who continue to entrust us with those they hold most precious: thank you.
Together, we will continue to drive toward what matters most: students who are prepared not simply to graduate, but to thrive and create Positive Multigenerational Change for their families and communities.
Better Together,
Kate Hirsh
Ednovate Board Chair
