Thursday, March 28, 2024 -
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DAT board appoints Naomi Lev head of school

Naomi LevThe Denver Academy of Torah board of trustees has announced that Naomi Lev has been named DAT’’s head of school. Most recently, Lev served as interim head of school, following the departure of Rabbi Daniel Alter.

“”Through this process, the board of trustees has unequivocally determined that Mrs. Lev is the ideal candidate to lead DAT into the future,”” said Hanah Polotsky, MD, president of the DAT board.

““Over the course of the search process, we reviewed many candidates and found that Mrs. Lev was the absolute best fit for our school and community.

“”Mrs. Lev’’s expertise, accomplishments, vision and strengths made her the unanimous choice of the board of trustees to be the final candidate for the position.””

Before serving as interim head of school, Lev was the assistant principal of the DAT High School. Prior to taking an administrative role at DAT, Lev was a classroom teacher for 10 years.

She began teaching in 1998 and has worked at Hillel Academy in Denver, Torah Academy for Girls and Yeshivat Tifferet Moshe in New York, as well as other educational institutions in both Denver and New York.

Throughout her career, Lev has worked with students of all ages, from two years old through adult.

As a result of her broad range of experience, Lev has developed an educational philosophy focused on student engagement in learning, with an emphasis on developing critical thinking skills.

Lev is an EdD candidate, focusing on how engaged learning models promote student understanding of self.

She and her husband, Dovid Lev, have a second grader at DAT, who will be joined by her sister in DAT’’s 2016 kindergarten class.

“”I’’m thrilled to continue working with our stellar faculty and staff, as well as our supportive parent body,”” said Lev.

“”In line with DAT’’s vision, I believe that students who are active participants in learning, who are challenged through an academically rigorous curriculum, and who are in a supportive, holistically focused environment will be well positioned for postsecondary and career success.

““I’’m also proud to lead the school in its commitment to Torah values and religious Zionism.”

““This is an exciting time for DAT, and the school is well positioned to continue its growth and momentum,”” said Dr. Polotsky.

“”We’’ve seen steady enrollment and 100% retention of our 2015 eighth grade class into the DAT High School. We have received accolades and national media exposure for our progressive approach to education.

““There are numerous new programs and initiatives throughout our K-12 educational community, such as a focus on experiential learning and technology-enhanced education, a faculty dedicated to continual improvement of its craft, and a commitment to create a vertically aligned K-12 curriculum continuum.””

The DAT board has tasked Lev with the following areas of responsibility: strategic vision and leadership; fostering school culture and values; instructional leadership; human capital management; managerial leadership; and financial and external development.

The board and Lev also have identified an immediate need to create a long-range strategic plan to support continued growth and excellence at DAT in order to ensure its success as an institution committed to a rigorous academic experience, as well as Torah-observant Zionistic values.

“”We are confident that Mrs. Lev will continue to provide exemplary leadership and management for our school and will ensure that DAT continues to be regarded as a leader within the Jewish day school world for its educational models and commitment to Torah,”” said Dr. Polotsky.




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