King David teachers win World ORT award

King David educators Heidi Morgan and Mandy Gruzd were recently announced as winners of the World ORT Beatrice Wand-Polak Educators award. This was for their dedication to their profession, and inspiring and encouraging students above and beyond expectation in the lockdown period.

The competition was established by former ORT Latin America Director Bernard Wand-Polak in memory of his wife, Beatrice. It’s open to ORT schools internationally and to schools affiliated to the World ORT network.

This year, 12 teachers from across the globe, including South Africa, Italy, Spain, France, Israel, Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, Ukraine, and Russia were selected from hundreds of nominees as winners of the award, and acknowledged for their excellence in teaching and efforts toward “educating for life”.

Heidi Morgan is the director of educational technologies at King David High School Linksfield, and Mandy Gruzd deputy head of teaching and learning and HOD History at King David High School Victory Park.

“Heidi and Mandy are worthy winners of this prestigious award,” said Rabbi Ricky Seeff, the general director of the South African Jewish Board of Education. “Their contribution to education in our schools has been tremendous. Their commitment to excellence, to adapting to new teaching methodologies and encouraging change and growth in their colleagues, has brought great credit to the King David schools. Our students and teachers are lucky to have them in our midst.”