Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School District Superintendent Dr. Francesco Ianni released the following letter to the community:
“I hope this letter finds you and your family well. I am writing to notify you that Jessica Bader, principal of the James H. Vernon School, will be away from the building for some time. My main priority is to alleviate any concerns that you may have regarding the day-to-day operation of the James H. Vernon School and to reassure you that ALL students will continue to learn in the most educationally sound and safe environment.
It is during times like these that we must come together as a learning community to make sure that our students have the necessary tools to be successful. We are very fortunate to have an administrative team that cares about your children. I am pleased to share that effective immediately, Ms. Anastasia Smith, the current assistant principal of James H. Vernon will be serving as acting principal while Ms. Bader is out of the building. Ms. Smith will also have the strong support of the entire central office team in conjunction with my direct supervision and presence in the building.
The in-depth knowledge that our administrative team has of the student body and the operation of the school building will ensure a safe and educationally sound environment. We are confident that together we will continue to empower ALL students to achieve excellence at the James H. Vernon School.”
In July, the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School District announced in a press release Jessica Bader had been named principal and Anastasia Smith had been named assistant principal of James H. Vernon School.
“She is a familiar face to the district, previously serving as the Director of Humanities K-12,” the press release stated. “In this administrative role, Ms. Bader held many responsibilities such as piloting the district’s Seal of Civic Readiness Program, creating and leading the Oyster Bay Instructional Team and spearheading the creation of the ELA curriculum for grades 7-11. Under her leadership, 100 percent of Oyster Bay High School participants earned the Seal of Civic Readiness last year and the English Regents passing rate increased from 89 percent to 95 percent. Prior to coming to Oyster Bay, Ms. Bader was the assistant principal of George J. Ryan Middle School 216 in Fresh Meadows, NY for nine years. In addition, she has served as a literacy coach and a staff developer.”
According to the press release, Bader received her bachelor’s degree in secondary education in English from SUNY Oneonta. She then earned her master’s degree in secondary education in English and her educational administration and supervision diploma from Queens College.
—Information provided by the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School District
