Hewitt School

The Hewitt School is a K-12 independent girls' school located on New York City's Upper East Side. The school teaches girls to become ethical leaders. The school serves girls in three divisions: Lower School (K-4), Middle School (5-8), and Upper School (9-12). History Caroline D. Hewitt founded the Hewitt School in 1920. Hewitt came to the United States in 1902 as a private tutor to a prominent family in Tuxedo Park, New York. After a decade in that position and at the suggestion of the Hoffman family, Hewitt began private classes for children in a townhouse on the Upper East Side. At this time the school was referred to as Miss Hewitt's Classes. By 1920, Hewitt had established a small kindergarten for boys and girls located at the Mannes Music School. Over time, the school expanded and began to exclusively educate young women. In 1942 Hewitt retired and was succeeded by faculty member Charlotte Comfort. In 1950, the school was granted a charter as a nonprofit corporation. The school moved to its current location at 45 East 75th Street in 1951. In 1955 Miss Hewitt's Classes became The Hewitt School. In 1968, the Gregory Building, named for board of trustees president William Gregory, was built. In 1969 Janet Mayer succeeded Comfort as headmistress and served until her retirement eleven years later. In 1976 the Building Fund Drive added three new stories to the Gregory Building. In 1980 Agathe Crouter succeeded Mayer as headmistress and served until her retirement in 1990. In 1986 a major renovation of the 75th Street Building was completed, adding classroom space and the John and Elizabeth Hobbs Performing Arts Center. In 1990 Mary Jane Yurchak became head of school and then took on a leadership role in integrating academics and technology. In 2000 Linda MacMurray Gibbs became head of school and initiated a long-term plan for its growth. In 2001 the Hewitt community went online, and a revised course of study based on the curriculum mapping process was initiated. In 2002, with a gift from the McKelvey Foundation, Hewitt purchased another townhouse to accommodate the Lower School, beginning in the fall of 2003. This building is named McKelvey in honor of trustee Andrew McKelvey. Also in 2003, a major renovation of the library was completed. Joan Lonergan served as Hewitt's seventh head of school. Lonergan assumed this position in July 2010.