JAO scholarship fund to honor Shefsky

Current parents of Jewish Academy of Orlando, as well as alumni families, members of the board of directors, teachers, colleagues and members of the community joined together May 19 at the Winter Park Racquet Club to honor Lynne Shefsky, the institution’s head of school.  

In June, Shefsky will be retiring after a 16-year tenure at Orlando’s only K-8th grade Jewish day school.  Eight of those years were spent as the head of school, where making sure that every Jewish child who wanted to attend the school was able to do so, was a priority of hers.  Therefore, in her honor, and in efforts to continue her mission of providing a Jewish education to the children in the community, the Lynne Shefsky Scholarship Fund has been established.

Shefsky says, “The weekend’s event was a tremendous honor and special time to celebrate the many years I have spent at Jewish Academy. However, the scholarship fund established in my name is a gesture that I will always remember, and I hope that the community will support this fund so that the school can continue to provide academic excellence infused with Jewish values to the children in the Orlando area.”

Shefsky’s daily interaction with the students, as she greets them at carpool each morning, will be one of the things she will miss the most once she retires.  She also says that her proudest accomplishment as head of school has been leading and supporting the academic excellence at JAO and offering the students the tools for 21st century learning. Differentiated learning has become the mantra at JAO, and fostering each student to be successful at their individual, developmental level gives her much pride.

To support the Lynne Shefsky Scholarship Fund, please visit www.myjao.org and click on Giving, or call 407-647-0713, or send in your donation to Jewish Academy of Orlando, 851 N. Maitland Ave., Maitland, FL 32751.