Danielle Sapiens Becomes DJDS’s First Vice Principal

This year, Denver Jewish Day School added a new role to the upper division faculty: Vice Principal, a position created specifically for Danielle Sapiens. 

Over the summer, Principal Dr. Jeremy Golubcow-Teglasi decided to expand programs and classes at DJDS while increasing his involvement with both students and teachers. 

To help achieve this, he created the Vice Principal position. Golubcow-Teglasi said Sapiens was a natural fit for the role because of her prior experience as principal and head of school at Yavneh Day School in California, as well as her ability to quickly integrate into DJDS culture and form strong relationships with students. 

Sapiens works with students both academically and personally. She spends time in the Learning Resource Center (LRC) and devotes hours on Wednesdays and during lunch helping students with homework. “She always helps me a lot, with all of my classes, and life,” said seventh-grader Naor Segev. 

As Vice Principal, Sapiens also takes on administrative responsibilities, including working closely with faculty, overseeing discipline, organizing events, and addressing day-to-day issues that arise. 

Her schedule is often flexible, allowing her to respond to problems as they occur. Golubcow-Teglasi explained that Sapiens’ role allows him to be more involved in classrooms and administrative matters. “Having two of us allows us to do more, but better,” he said. 

Sapiens also contributes to school-wide planning, helping develop ideas from both teachers and students. Over the summer, she assumed multiple new responsibilities: expanding her work in the LRC, taking on the Vice Principal role, and becoming the math department head. 

These added duties reduced her teaching load from five classes to two this year. “As much as I love being in the classroom, I think it’s better for me to be a person who can work with everyone,” Sapiens said, citing her experience in student outreach as a key reason for her selection. 

Looking ahead, Sapiens sees opportunities to continue growing DJDS programs and supporting the school community. “I think we have an amazing school and a really supportive community,” she said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to have an impact, see everyone, talk to everyone, and help us be stronger and better each day.”