Bill O’Hearn, who served as head of school at the Ross School in East Hampton from 1998 to 2003 and most recently was in charge of the upper school, has been reappointed as head of school, the Ross School announced this week.
“After careful thought and deliberation, the board of trustees determined that to move forward efficiently and effectively, we needed a head of school to lead us through the next phase of transition,” the trustees said in an email on Monday. “We look forward to his thoughtful and dynamic leadership.”
Mr. O’Hearn has held similar positions at the Elliott Montessori School in Wellesley, Mass., the Beijing City International School in China, and the Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa, Kenya.
The trustees said in their announcement that the Ross School will be moving toward a more traditional private school model of committee leadership, or “a more inclusive form of governance at the school,” according to Andi O’Hearn, who is the head of advancement and operations there and is Mr. O’Hearn’s wife.
“He has a strong sense of history of the school and a strong sense of international education, and he’s in an amazing place to help the school hold on to its mission and vision as it becomes a more traditional school,” Ms. O’Hearn said on Monday. “I think he brings a stability that no one else could bring at this point in time.”
Mr. O’Hearn said he is excited to be back and is particularly eager to work with the current group of faculty and staff.
“It’s a unique opportunity,” he said. “Very few people get a second chance, a second opportunity. I’m lucky to be part of several different curriculas, and I think this is the best one I could work with and for.”
The Ross School also said new trustees have been appointed to the board. They are Brett McGonegal, an international finance expert who is chairman and chief executive officer of Greater China Capital Limited, and John Nevado, who heads a boutique marketing and advertising advisory firm that focuses on investing with beneficial social and environmental effects.
Ann Stewart, president of the Ross School Parents Association, also joined the board in the seat reserved for a representative of the association.