Dr. G-T Leaves Principalship, Danielle Sapiens Steps In as Interim Principal

Denver Jewish Day School’s upper division will undergo a leadership transition this year as Principal Dr. Jeremy Golubcow-Teglasi steps down and Vice Principal Danielle Sapiens takes over as interim principal beginning July 1, 2026.

On Jan. 2, 2026, CEO Avi Halzel and Acting Head of School Jason Snyder released a joint statement announcing the leadership change. “We want to take this opportunity to thank Dr. G-T for his out- standing work over the last three years. His leadership has strengthened the Upper Division in lasting ways,” the statement read. 

This transition comes at a pivotal moment for DJDS, following three years of Golubcow-Teglasi’s leadership, overseeing projects from phone locker implementation to the new Wednesday schedule. 

Sapiens, currently vice principal, brings experience to the role, including her tenure as Head of School at Yavneh Day School in Los Gatos, CA. This also marks the first time DJDS has had a female upper-division principal. 

For Golubcow-Teglasi, who has been an educator at DJDS for eight years, while he enjoys parts of the role as principal, teaching remains his true passion. “It became clear to me fairly early that I wasn’t going to like [being principal] as much as teaching. So it was just a question of when. When do I go back to teaching?” Golubcow-Teglasi said. “Between Ms. Sapiens being such a strong and capable leader whom I could pass the baton off to, it just felt like—why not now?”

Sapiens began as vice principal at the start of the 2025-26 academic year under Golubcow Teglasi's leadership, setting her up to be the candidate for interim principal the following year. While originally appointed as vice principal to help Golubcow-Teglasi manage his workload as principal, after a little while, it became obvious to Golubcow-Teglasi that she would be the perfect candidate. 

“Part of what I saw in [Sapiens] was an enthusiasm for administration, and for building systems, and for the parts of the role, like the managerial parts...that I didn't love as much,” he said. 

For Sapiens, stepping into this role is both an honor and an opportunity to create something great for the upper division. “It’s really about getting to know each other: building relationships and building trust,” she said. “I want students to

have the best experience possible at school... Students spend more time with us than with their families, so if we’re not building relationships with them, we’re not doing our job.”

According to Sapiens, while small “tweaks” to programs are being organized, the policies or programs themselves are not scheduled to undergo any major developments.

“I don’t want to change things just for the sake of change,” Sapiens said. “We don’t need to reinvent the school. We just need to tweak things to make them more functional.” 

Students, middle and high school alike, have expressed optimism about this transition. “I think Danielle will do a good job and I'm hopeful for her plans,” said tenth grader Bella Strear. 

Liam Greher, an eighth grader, added to that feeling. “I'm very excited to see what she does with the school after G-T’s role as principal,” he said. “I think she will deliver, 100 percent...I trust her.” 

As the upper division plans to change gears, the faculty, staff, and administration are ensuring that this transition is as smooth as can be. This includes, but is not limited to, making some adjustments to Sapiens’ current responsibilities, such as finalizing details about department leadership. 

“I am still getting to know Danielle, but I am very excited at the prospect of her leadership,” Snyder said. “The Board is grateful for Dr. G-T's service to the school as Upper Division Principal, while they are excited to grow under Danielle Sapiens' leadership.” 

After a new CEO and Head of School is selected, the board can officially begin its hiring process for permanent upper-division principal candidates. While Sapiens has not announced any plans to continue past the interim principalship, she is keeping all options on the table. “I'm glad that I have an opportunity to give it a go to see how people get my style of leadership and me as a leader,” she said. 

As Sapiens steps into the role, she acknowledges the weight of the responsibility that comes with the role, even temporarily. Her focus is on connecting the student body, understanding the needs of students and staff, and ensuring that the programs and culture built over the past years remain and grow stronger than before. 

While Golubcow-Teglasi returns to his original role of social studies teacher, students are taking stock of the leadership transition and the impact of his tenure. “It feels odd to cycle through three principals throughout my upper-division career,” said 11th grader Joey Tesler. 

At the same time, Tesler acknowledged the positive mark he has left on the school. “Dr. G-T has definitely done great things,” he added. 

To Golubcow-Teglasi, this was an experience he will be forever grateful for. “I do not regret becoming principal, and I would do it over and over again,” he said. “It has enabled me to interact with more students, honestly, more than I would have as a teacher over the course of the last three years. Some of the stuff won't be part of my life anymore, but I'm so glad I had it, and it will forever change how I interact with students.”