The Martin County School Board approved Mr. Jeff Umbaugh's appointment as the new principal of Murray Middle School during its meeting on May 17, 2022. Former principal Amy Laws announced her intent to pursue an opportunity outside of the Martin County School District earlier this year.
Mr. Umbaugh has served as an educator and school administrator for 24 years, starting as a middle school social studies teacher in northeast Florida. Murray Middle School will be his fifth principalship in Florida. Mr. Umbaugh has also worked in several district-level roles, including Clay County’s Assistant Superintendent for Instruction, where his two major initiatives were spearheading the District’s focus on Career and Technical Education and supervising 40 principals.
Mr. Umbaugh fell in love with Martin County when visiting and jumped at the chance to become the principal of SeaWind Elementary School in July 2019. He believes he “hit the geography lottery” to be able to live and work in our community. Mr. Umbaugh has a heart for the children of Hobe Sound and Port Salerno, and is excited to help each student prepare for high school and beyond. He believes middle schoolers are a great age group to work with because most adults remember these years as some of the toughest they ever experienced. He will work cooperatively and enthusiastically with the MMS faculty and staff to create an environment where students feel supported and able to thrive.
Mr. Umbaugh earned his undergraduate degree and first graduate degree from Olivet Nazarene University. He earned his graduate degree in Educational Leadership from the University of North Florida. He is a huge fan of live music and enjoys traveling the country to see his favorite bands.