Rochester Public Schools announces Agbamu as chief academic officer

Rochester Public Schools has hired Dr. Efe Agbamu to be the district’s chief academic officer, a new position within the district’s administration.

Agbamu comes to Rochester from St. Paul, where she served as assistant superintendent. Prior to that position, she won Minnesota High School Principal of the Year in 2011 while at Park High School in Cottage Grove.

“I can’t wait to introduce the students, staff, parents, caregivers, and community members of Rochester to Dr. Agbamu,” Supt. Kent Pekel said in a statement. “She is an extraordinary leader whom I have known for many years and she was the enthusiastic choice of a diverse group of Rochester Public Schools leaders who participated in the interview process.”

The position of chief academic officer is part of a restructuring of central administration to better align with the district’s recently-adopted strategic plan. According to the announcement, Agbamu “will lead a unified Office of Academics that brings together staff with responsibilities for curriculum and instruction, special education, social-emotional learning, strategic planning, and research, evaluation, and assessment.”

“This is a dream come true,” Agbamu said in the announcement. “I have served in different capacities in education from teacher, principal, assistant superintendent, and now chief academic officer. This is an amazing opportunity to serve the students, families, staff and community of Rochester Public Schools, and I look forward to this.” 

Dr. Agbamu holds a doctorate in education from Hamline University, and master’s and bachelor’s degrees from the University of Ibadan in Nigeria. She is scheduled to begin the new position in mid-July.

Cover photo courtesy RPS