NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – A former Long Island principal was arraigned on Monday for allegedly submitting falsified employment applications, omitting her prior suspension of her teaching certificate for engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a student, according to prosecutors.
Jessica Bader, previously known as Jessica Zimbler, 52, former principal of James H. Vernon School in the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central school district and was arraigned on charges of three counts of offering a false instrument for filing and three counts of offering a false instrument for filing.
According to court documents, in March 2022, Bader applied for a position as the director of humanities at the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central school district and was hired two months later.
A year later, she was hired for the principal position at James H. Vernon School in July 2023.
While applying for both positions, Bader allegedly submitted online applications through OLAS. She misrepresented her history by denying any requirement to resign, resigning to avoid charges or termination, or having her professional certificate suspended by a government agency.
She allegedly falsely answered "no" to these questions for both jobs.
Bader also applied directly to the school district for the director of humanities role. Allegedly, she falsely answered "no" to a question about being asked to resign instead of being fired or denied tenure.
Bader, while she was known as Jessica Zimbler, in 2005 worked as an English teacher at East Meadow High School was asked to resign for engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a student.
Bader resigned, and the allegations were sent to the New York State Department of Education for a hearing. Her teaching certificate was suspended for four years starting Dec. 17, 2007.
After her certificate was reinstated, Bader worked at schools in Brooklyn and Queens, and was an assistant principal at a Queens middle school.
She resigned from her role as principal at James H. Vernon School in September 2023.
"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," Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly said. "These professionals must be held to the highest standards of honesty and integrity."
The defendant surrendered to NCDA Detective Investigators on April 1.
The defendant was released on her own recognizance. If convicted, she faces up to 1-1/3 to four years in prison.
Bader will be back in court on April 11.
