The new millennium brought many changes to the Hewitt community. In January 2000, the board voted unanimously to elect Miss Linda MacMurray Gibbs as the school's sixth head of school. With her extensive experience in education, she felt strongly that the school needed a strategic plan. In the spring of 2001, she wrote an Anchor article announcing a five-year strategic plan, which she labeled “a vision for Hewitt." The plan included repurposing newly renovated space in the Gregory Building and partially moving the lower school to a new building. Hewitt's board of directors were initially interested in acquiring 10 East 75th Street, but soon shifted their attention upon learning that the historic townhouse at 3 East 76th Street was available. This building provided much more space as well as more natural light in the form of big windows. Renovations on the Stillman Building were underway while construction finished on the new Andrew J. McKelvey Lower School in 2003.

 

The new decade ushered in many first traditions for Hewitt students. For example, the first commencement assembly at Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church took place in June 2001. On April 8, 2003, Hewitt held its first Community Service Day, ushering in a new era of community focused initiatives. All 420 students were transported to 14 different locations around the city and participated in a variety of activities, including volunteering at the Kennedy Child Study Center and singing to elderly people at the Jewish Home and Hospital. Students maintained their civic-minded mentality in the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005; the entire community collectively raised $55,000 by the end of October.

 

The strategic plan implemented new academic programs in the curriculum. The language department went through a tremendous change that included adding Spanish. Both foreign languages, Spanish and French, began in kindergarten. Ms. Gibbs placed particular emphasis on the math, science, and technology departments. By the mid-2000s, Hewitt offered electives, advanced placement courses, and external competition programs such as Science Olympiad, Math Counts, and the Math League. Hewitt's laptop program, established in the nineties, became integrated into the culture of the school. Administration established all-faculty training programs to encourage teachers to understand the new capabilities of technology in the classroom. The New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) evaluation of 2005 highlighted the positive changes of the past five years.

 

During her tenure, Ms. Gibbs reinstated specific regulations for upper school uniforms and revitalized Blue/White teams with more yearly competitions. Each year began with a Kick-off Rally, in which Blue and White team captains energized crowds of new and returning students. Harriet the Hawk, her name chosen by committee to honor Miss Hewitt's mother, began to make her appearance as the school mascot at competitions and sporting events alike. Sport teams were taken more seriously, and a pre-season training program was established for student athletes in late August. Track and field, junior varsity soccer, and junior varsity basketball were added to the already robust list of athletic teams, including senior varsity basketball, soccer, volleyball, tennis, and swimming.

 

Having guided the Hewitt School in an exciting, progressive direction for nearly a decade, Ms. Gibbs decided to retire in the spring of 2009. Her legacy survives alongside her many accomplishments, which include expanding the enrollment to over five hundred students, quadrupling the endowment, and diversifying both the student body and the curriculum.

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