JEFF HEARN

The truly important things have remained unchanged. The dedication, passion, and commitment of the faculty to the students is the same now as it was then. The students themselves are basically the same. Bright, inquisitive, and thoughtful students still roam the halls at Sycamore.

JEFF HEARN

THE history of Jeff Hearn at Sycamore School is impressive. Hearn’s two children are Sycamore graduates, (Lindsay in 2002 and Alex in 2005). He has served six separate terms on the Board of Trustees, for a total of 21 years. He has been a part of numerous subcommittees, quietly being a force for good in helping advance the infrastructure of the school. He was Chair of the Search Committee that hired long-time current Sycamore Head of School, Diane Borgmann. Hearn, one could argue, as much as any person involved with Sycamore who was not a teacher or Head of School, has pointed the school in the direction of success. And now, in 2021, he is completing his latest term of board service. “Education has always been important to me. Our daughter came to Sycamore in the middle of Kindergarten from a public school that was not adequately meeting her needs,” Hearn says. “The school was such a revelation and such a good experience that I knew I had to get involved in some manner. When the Board was seeking new members, I spoke with Ed Mihelich who was the Chair of the Committee on Trustees. I was asked to serve on the Board, and because I thought I could contribute something of value, I gladly accepted.” When Hearn thinks about his own children and the education they received from the school, he still believes attending Sycamore is one the best things they have done. “It certainly prepared them well for their future academic pursuits. It instilled in them the desire to be lifelong learners and the skills to do that. But most importantly I think, it made each of them very comfortable as a person. It was okay to be smart; it was okay to have talents and abilities others did not have and to lack talents others did have. I have always thought that one of the best benefits of Sycamore is that it gives our children a true peer group they might not experience again. It allows students to ‘feel comfortable in their own skin’—not an easy feat when it comes to middle schoolers. I think this was a great benefit to both my children.”

DIANE Borgmann has leaned on Hearn for guidance throughout her tenure as Sycamore’s Head of School. “His strength as a member of Sycamore’s Board of Trustees lies in his experience and wisdom,” she says. “Jeff commands the respect of everyone he meets. He has led Sycamore through some difficult times and provided wise guidance for our financial security and future. His availability and enthusiasm for serving the school in any possible way has never wavered.” Hearn’s institutional knowledge, as Borgmann acknowledges, is one of his strengths. He has seen Sycamore change—significantly—while, as he says, maintaining its core values. “Sycamore’s mission of providing the enriched, accelerated education academically gifted children need to reach their potential and to lead responsible, constructive, fulfilling lives, and the laser-like focus in carrying out that mission are still the hallmarks of the school,” he says. Noting the biggest changes he’s witnessed, he remarks, “The most obvious changes are the physical improvements to the facilities. We have gone from a prototypical 1950’s elementary school with orange carpeting to a very modern building with thoughtfully designed spaces for the students.”

ONE word describes Hearn’s vision for Sycamore: change. “The change in the past twenty-five years has been tremendous,” he says. “A less obvious, but important, change is that the Board of Trustees has matured. We are thinking more long-term and Sycamore is in much better shape financially. The Board has developed into a very high functioning Board that deals with appropriate strategic issues.” “Just think about the changes in the last year alone. One thing the Board of Trustees and the Administration always need to keep in mind is that the school will need to innovate and adapt,” he says. “We always need to keep the long-term viability of Sycamore as our focus, and that will mean not only adapting to or even embracing change, but being a change agent to improve the delivery of education.” While Hearn downplays his role in setting Sycamore up for future success, he is quietly proud of his work. “I don’t think I have any particular strengths that others don’t have,” Hearn says. “I think my most important ability has been availability. I have tried to always be available to do what needed to get done and to participate on committees and task forces. I have been willing to listen to competing views and help develop a consensus for the best way forward. I have always tried to put the best long-term interests of the school at the forefront of all my decisions and I hope I have been consistent in doing that.” “It has been my distinct honor and pleasure to have served on the Board for 21 years and to have had the opportunity to be a very small part of the growth and emergence of Sycamore,” Hearn says. “Whatever I have given to Sycamore, I have received many times over in return. Sycamore is a tremendous asset—not only to our parents and students, but to the city and to gifted education throughout the country, and we need to do all we can to ensure it continues to thrive for future generations.” •

The Hearn Family: grandson, Miller Brustein; son-in-law, Garrett Brustein; daughter, Lindsay Hearn Brustein (Class of 2002); granddaughter, Colbie Grace Brustein; Sharon Hearn; Jeff Hearn; son, Alex Hearn (Class of 2005); and daughter-in-law, Mohini Tellakat.