viewbook for hewitt school
DESCRIPTION
the 2010 promotional brochure for an Independent Girl\'s School in NYCTRANSCRIPT
Intellectual Vigor — Hewitt engages girls’
minds through inquiry, collaboration, and active
learning; girls take risks and thrive under the
guidance of dynamic teachers.
The Whole Child — At Hewitt, every girl is
known and valued. Her intellectual, physical,
social, and emotional well-being is at the core of
a successful learning experience.
Personal Excellence — Each Hewitt girl
explores her talents and interests, and she
discovers new ones in a vibrant community that
encourages her unique contributions.
Partnership — Hewitt succeeds because of
meaningful connections among students, parents,
teachers, and the broader school community.
Leadership — At Hewitt, girls develop
strength, conviction, and integrity; at Hewitt,
girls are leaders in their lives and in the lives of
others, locally and globally.
At Hewitt, joyful learning abounds. The curriculum enables
students to identify and build on their individual strengths and
talents. Teaching methods and a developmentally based program
create an engaging, innovative, and stimulating learning environment.
The students are confident, independent learners and thinkers. A
typical classroom is comprised of fluid learning groups that support
and extend each girl’s potential, allowing her to jump quickly to a new
level of understanding or to take time to explore an interesting idea.
Learning is fun and exciting.
Throughout the lower school years, girls develop a sense of self
as individuals and in relation to others. The girls willingly challenge
and stretch themselves through interdisciplinary projects, group
presentations, performances, and community service. Research
demonstrates that students who attend all-girls’ schools develop
greater self-confidence and broader interests, are more willing to
take risks, and experience increased leadership opportunities. At
Hewitt, each student thrives in an environment where she can explore,
question, lead, and find her own voice. At Hewitt, a young girl’s
curiosity is sparked and life-long learning begins.
At Hewitt, girls navigate the complexities of the middle school years
with enthusiasm, courage, and optimism. By design, the middle school
program provides a thoughtful, vigorous curriculum that balances
academic, social, and emotional growth. An interconnected curriculum
encourages students to make connections across the subject areas
to the world around them and to their own lives and experiences. The
program centers around an understanding and appreciation of the
emerging adolescent and recognizes the middle school years as a time
of significant cognitive and emotional development. Each girl develops
study skills, strategies for time management, and an awareness
of her own organizational systems – critical components of
realizing her potential.
The connected community focuses on team work, character,
and community building in strong advisory and community service
programs. A hallmark of the middle school is learning to lead within
the context of an ethical framework. Girls understand and embrace the
core values of integrity, kindness, courage, respect, responsibility, and
scholarship. Through age-appropriate opportunities starting in fourth
grade, girls are empowered and embrace the many facets of leadership.
Eighth graders are given significant responsibilities as student council
representatives, peer tutors, buddies to lower school students, and
service providers and learners in the greater community.
Hewitt girls are accomplished scholars, well versed
across the disciplines, and enlightened leaders who speak with
conviction, act with purpose, and make a difference. A critical
component of each girl’s upper school experience is the development
of a deep self-awareness of her intellectual and creative strengths, her
passion and commitments, and her unique identity. In addition, each
girl is known and encouraged by her teachers as she develops a sense
of belonging. At Hewitt, each girl becomes her best self.
The academic program is fully grounded in the liberal arts,
providing in-depth learning experiences that cultivate fully each girl’s
capacity to meet the intellectual demands of today’s rapidly changing
world. Students become agile thinkers, persuasive speakers, strong
writers, and active problem solvers across the disciplines. Advanced
and elective courses are offered in every subject so that the girls can
both pursue individual interests and explore new avenues of thought.
Understanding that a rich and challenging program extends beyond
the classroom, the upper school offers abundant co-curricular
opportunities. In addition to being scholars, girls are artists, athletes,
actors, journalists, and activists. Many of these programs are
generated, and all are led, by students whose personal interests and
ideals lead them to take action within the community.
L o w e r S c h o o l
(Grades K-3)
“…Hewitt has taught
our daughter the
most important lesson
you could impart to
a child — that she can
excel at anything she
puts her mind to.”
Pr eeti Swa n i
— lower school parent
“Hewitt celebrates
what the girls are good
at and encourages
them to excel. It is also
a place that allows
you to take risks, try,
and not be perfect.
Hewitt gave that to
me, and I wanted that
experience for my
daughters.”
Marissa Sorger Tracey ‘83
– alumna, trustee, and
middle school parent
M i d d l e S c h o o l
(Grades 4-8)Up p e r S c h o o l
(Grades 9-12)
C o l l e g e R e a d yGiven that all Hewitt girls
are college bound, the college
process is seen as an extension
of the upper school program
and recognizes each girl as an
independent and introspective
thinker and decision maker.
The college counseling office
works with each girl and her
family individually to empower
her to make informed choices
that will honor and serve her
unique interests and talents.
Hewitt is proud that its students
do not fit into any one mold, and
this individuality is reflected in
college choices that are both
impressive and diverse. Hewitt is an inclusive and diverse community of students, faculty, administration, board of trustees, and staff and continues
to integrate diversity into the life of the school. Hewitt respects and values individuals whose differences include age, ethnicity,
family structure, gender, learning styles, physical ability, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status.
The Hewitt Advantage
The mission of The Hewitt School is to provide a rigorous and stimulating
program that encourages independent thinking and creativity. The school values
each girl’s individual talents and encourages respect for the diverse interests and
backgrounds of others. Hewitt’s small size and supportive environment enable
each student to reach her full potential and become a responsible and socially
aware leader. In keeping with the motto, “By Faith and Courage,” Hewitt seeks
to instill in each girl lifelong faith in herself, personal integrity, and the courage
to face challenges with confidence.
Admissions
Hewitt is a remarkable place for girls.
As you move through the admissions process,
we are confident you will agree. Families
are encouraged to explore our website
www.hewittschool.org to learn more about
the school and how to apply.
Applications are due by December 1, 2010
for the coming school year.
The Hewitt School offers tuition assistance;
additional information can be found on
our website. Please note that admissions
decisions are made independently of requests
for financial aid.
For further information please contact:
K elly Pier r e
Director of Lower School Admissions (K-3)
3 East 76th Street
New York, NY 10021
212.994.2597
K athleen K a mi nsk y
Director of Middle &
Upper School Admissions (4-12)
45 East 75th Street
New York, NY 10021
212.994.2623
www.hewittschool.org
“I, along with my kindergarten
classmates, have grown into
an independent thinker while taking
comfort in knowing that the
Hewitt community does not expect only
one thing from me. I am not just
seen as a scholar, or artist, or athlete.
I am encouraged to pursue all
these interests while still being seen and
appreciated as Sophie. It is
this strong sense of self, fostered within
our community, that makes for
the greater good.”
—Sophie Krueger, twelfth grade student
S T E M
This school-wide initiative focuses
on how girls learn and excel in
math, science, engineering, and
technology:
• Integrated technology instruction
throughout the lower school
• Introduction to structural
engineering in grade 4
• Accelerated math and science
opportunities for middle and
upper school students
• Advanced programming courses
in the upper grades: Advanced
Robotics and Principles of
Programming
• One-to-one laptop program
in grades 8-12
• Co-curricular options: Science
Olympiad; Math Counts; Future
Problem Solvers
G l o b a l P e r s p e c t i v e
Hewitt students have a vital
understanding of their role as global
citizens:
• All K-3 students study both
French and Spanish
• Grade 4 performs musicals in
French and Spanish
• Curricular offerings: Literature
of Africa; History of India; World
Revolutions; Literature of the
Caribbean; AP Human Geography;
Facing History & Ourselves
• International travel to China,
Argentina, France, Spain, Canada,
and Jordan
• Numerous opportunities to tackle
global issues: NAIS 20/20 program,
TEDxYouth@Hewitt, Model United
Nations, ACTION (Awareness,
Community, Tolerance, Inclusion,
Opinions, Now)
S e r v i c e L e a r n i n g
The Hewitt community actively
partners with local and global
organizations in student-led,
multi-year projects:
• Lower and middle school
community service program
recognized by the Center for
Spiritual and Ethical Education
• Lower school weekly sandwich-
making for Yorkville Common
Pantry
• Family Community Service Days
with Meals on Wheels
• Building libraries in underfunded
city schools
• Over 20 hours of service each year
by each upper school girl
• School-wide participation in the
Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure –
Hewitt has earned the largest school
team award for ten years in a row
O n e C o m m u n i t y
Hewitt girls get together for
learning and fun across the grades:
• Peer Tutoring and Peer Mentoring
• Lower/Middle School Buddy Days
• 4th and 10th grade blogging
classes
• Middle and upper school week-
long Winterim session
• Spirited and healthy Blue/White
competitions
• All-school family picnic
C r e a t i v e A r t s
The arts are visible, audible, and
vibrant throughout the school:
• Grade level performing arts
productions in lower school
• Three performances a year in
middle and upper school
• Yearly art shows in the lower,
middle, and upper school
• Award-winning, globe-touring
Chamber Choir
• Largest and most comprehensive
Handbell Choir in New York City
• Gold keys - national and regional -
awarded to Hewitt students for their
work in the arts
• School-wide, week-long focus on
a drama production: The Tempest,
Macbeth, Antigone
A t h l e t i c s
Go Hawks!
• 4th and 5th grade girls participate
in intramural morning Sports Clubs
• Middle school students compete
inter-scholastically in swim, track &
field, volleyball, basketball, soccer,
and tennis
• Nine varsity and two junior varsity
teams in upper school that compete
in the Athletic Association of
Independent Schools league
• Only girls’ school in New York City
to offer crew
• Championship teams in volleyball
and tennis, 2009-2010
“At Hewitt each girl is pushed not to be "the" best, but "her own" best. This makes a
place where young women are supportive of one another's growth, where learning is a community
effort and everyone can be a success.” — K a mmi R eiss, upper school parent
“Hewitt balances academic challenge with a strong focus on the whole child. No one falls through
the cracks, and every girl knows she is a valuable and unique member of a close-knit community.”
— Sher een Bey dou n, Head of Lower School
H i G H l i G H T s o f H e w i T T
“No one hides here,
and no one disappears.”
M au r ee n Bu rgess
– Chair of the English Department
H i G H l i G H T s o f H e w i T T
t h e h e w i t t S c h o o l