The former principal of James H. Vernon School in the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School District was arraigned today on charges she submitted falsified employment applications to the school district and the Online Application System for Educators (OLAS) omitting the prior suspension of her teaching certificate for engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a student in 2005.
Jessica Bader, previously known as Jessica Zimbler, 52, of Nesconset, was arraigned before Judge Jaclene Agazarian on charges of three counts of offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree (a Class E felony) and three counts of offering a false instrument for filing in the second degree (a Class A misdemeanor). Bader was released on her own recognizance.
In March 2022, the defendant applied for a position as the director of humanities at the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School District and was hired two months later. Bader later applied and was hired for the principal position at James H. Vernon School in July 2023.
For both positions within the school district, she submitted online applications with OLAS which inquired if an applicant was ever required to resign from a position, resigned from a position as an alternative to facing charges or termination, and whether an applicant had ever had a professional certificate suspended by a government agency. Bader allegedly falsely answered “no” to these questions on the OLAS online application, which she submitted on two occasions for each job she held in the district.
Bader also filed a separate electronic application directly to the school district for the director of humanities position in which she allegedly falsely answered a question asking if the applicant had ever been asked to resign rather than be discharged or denied tenure; she said she never had been. She also allegedly omitted her previous employment at East Meadow High School, where she was the subject of disciplinary action, from her applications.
She was known as Jessica Zimbler when she had been an English teacher at East Meadow High School from 1999 to 2005. In June 2005, Bader was asked to resign or face disciplinary action for engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a student.
Bader resigned and the allegations were referred to the New York State Department of Education for a disciplinary hearing. The Education Department suspended Bader’s teaching certificate for a period of four years on December 17, 2007. After her teaching certificate was reinstated, Bader worked at schools in Brooklyn and Queens, and held an assistant principal position at a Queens middle school.
Bader resigned from her position as principal at James H. Vernon School in September 2023. She surrendered to NCDA Detective Investigators on April 1, 2024. She is due back in court on April 11, 2024.
If convicted, she faces up to 1-1/3 to 4 years in prison.
“After engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a student at East Meadow High School, this defendant was given a second chance and the option to return to the teaching profession in the future,” said Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly. “Bader squandered that chance and again exercised poor judgement when she allegedly concealed her certificate suspension on applications for two high-level positions in the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School District. Parents across Nassau County entrust their children to the care of educators and administrators every day. These professionals must be held to the highest standards of honesty and integrity.”