Penfield Central School District has selected Ms. Linda Dickey as assistant principal of Penfield High School and Dr. Joyce Akwaa as assistant principal at Bay Trail Middle School.

The Board of Education approved both appointments during a special meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 24. Dickey will begin her tenure at Penfield on Monday, March 16, and Akwaa will officially join the District on Wednesday, July 1.

An experienced school administrator with more than 25 years of service in education, Dickey is known for having a warm leadership style, a deep commitment to equity, and for creating learning environments where every student feels supported and able to thrive.

Dickey comes to Penfield from Pittsford Sutherland High School, after serving as an assistant principal. Past experiences include serving as the consultant for diversity, equity, and inclusion at Our Lady of Mercy School for Young Women, partnering with administrators and faculty on DEI initiatives, curriculum development, and instructional practices. Dickey also chaired the Cheryl Speranza Leadership Institute, supporting leadership development and mentorship opportunities for young women of color.

Dickey brings additional experience from roles as associate principal at Boynton Middle School in Ithaca, as well as more than a decade of teaching social studies at Edison Tech and Wilson Magnet High School in the Rochester City School District.

A graduate of Pittsford Mendon High School, Dickey holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Rochester, a master’s degree in educational administration from St. John Fisher University, and a master’s degree in education from the University of Rochester.

Akwaa is an accomplished educational leader with nearly two decades of experience in urban education. She joins Penfield after serving as an assistant principal at Dake Junior High School at West Irondequoit Central School District. Certified in both school building and school district leadership (SBL/SDL), she is committed to fostering equitable, student-centered learning environments that promote academic achievement and social-emotional growth.

Over the course of her career, Akwaa has served as a dean of students, expanded learning resource coordinator, transition team leader, and elementary classroom teacher. Her leadership is grounded in culturally responsive pedagogy, inclusive practices, and data-informed decision-making. She has extensive experience developing professional learning communities, coaching teachers, implementing restorative frameworks, and aligning curriculum to rigorous standards.

Akwaa earned her doctorate in education from the University of Dayton and holds multiple advanced certifications from the University of Rochester’s Margaret Warner School of Education, along with a master’s in elementary education and a bachelor’s in American Sign Language. A trained facilitator in trauma-informed practices, crisis intervention, and the Danielson evaluation framework, she is also deeply engaged in community leadership and service.