Amy Herbst

Amy Herbst is currently serving as the Principal of Central Medford High School and Juvenile Detention Education Programs for Jackson County in Medford, Oregon.  Amy earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Utah and went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Educational Counseling with a Pupil Personnel Services Credential.  Her career began as a middle school counselor in Los Angeles Unified School District for 1000 students in Carson, California.  She then went on to be the Safe School Coordinator/Counselor in Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District.  While living in Redondo Beach, CA she spent many years teaching yoga to students and teachers after school and in the teen drug rehabilitation program, The Thelma McMillen Center in the Torrance Memorial Hospital.

Amy and her husband, Chris moved to Southern Oregon upon the opening of Central Medford High School where she spent the first year as the guidance counselor.  Becoming principal in 2011 has been an exciting challenge in building a program flexible enough to meet the needs for all students in a diverse community.  Amy has directed dropout prevention interventions and strategies all structured around building relationship and rapport and teaching social-emotional competencies. CMHS now has a robust partnership with Rogue Community College and Southern Oregon University for dual college credit opportunities and celebrates one of the highest graduation rates for alternative high school in Oregon.  Amy has guided her staff through professional development in Restorative Practices/Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Trauma Informed Practices (TIPs), Standards-Based Teaching and Learning, Project Based Learning, Blended Learning and College Prep strategies through AVID.

Amy loves the mountains and enjoys snowboarding, mountain biking and hiking her Australian Shepherd.  Her greatest joy is of being a mother through the miracle of adoption through the child welfare system of 2 boys, ages 7 and 5, who are growing to love the mountains too.