Welcome from Admission

The FWCD community works especially hard to ensure that students of all backgrounds, experiences and personalities will feel “at home” in the largest JK-12 independent school in Tarrant County. Opportunities abound for students to take part in service learning projects, as well as numerous extracurricular activities in athletics, the arts and academics. Everyone will find something they can enjoy. Whether you are unique because of a special talent or cultural background, FWCD will welcome you to its already diverse student body and Parent Faculty Association. Of course, different schools have different personalities, so we encourage you to look at a number of independent schools to find one that best matches the needs and desires of your child.

FWCD has a competitive admission process, but there is no “list” for parents to get on months or even years in advance. We encourage prospective parents who are interested in FWCD to submit an Inquiry Form.

Each spring, qualified candidates for whom spaces are not available will be offered “wait pool” decisions. The grade-level “wait pool” is not ranked. If a space should become available during the late spring or summer, the most qualified candidate will be notified and offered enrollment. If a place does not become available, the candidate is encouraged to re-apply for the following year. All re-applying candidates must re-test.

We understand a family’s desire to have all of their children in the same school. If all the children are qualified candidates, we do our best to keep families together.

We consider many factors to determine admission each school year. Each child is assessed based on the data collected during the admission process. Students who qualify for admission, but cannot be offered a place at that time, may be offered a wait pool position.

Students from diverse backgrounds who possess intellectual curiosity, internal motivation with a strong work ethic, special talents and interests, and personal characteristics as exemplified by our core values attend FWCD. In kindergarten, we’re looking for students who are ready for a full academic day, enjoy a challenge, and will enhance the learning environment.

Our three major entry points are kindergarten, sixth grade and ninth grade. For the remaining grades, re-enrollment contracts for current students are due on February 15. After that point, we’ll begin to know how many openings we’ll have in non-entry grades.

Unless you are applying early decision for kindergarten, we counsel families to apply to more than one school. It is always best to have options.

Even before your child attends the first day of classes, the Parent Faculty Association will offer you a multitude of ways to become an active part of the FWCD community. Parents volunteer as room representatives, at athletic events and at special occasions such as the School Carnival and Bingo Night. We even encourage you to come have lunch with your student and volunteer for the many service opportunities on campus. Every day you will see parents and guardians engaged in making FWCD a vibrant and exciting place for children to learn.

Our application goes live after Labor Day. The sooner we have your application, the greater your chances for completing all needed steps for first-round admission decisions.

Our core values set forth a standard of conduct that is the foundation of a productive life. These values provide an ethical compass and give purpose to education. FWCD expects all teachers to abide by the core values as well as the following principles:

Integrity

• We are public and personal advocates for FWCD, and we loyally support the mission of the School.
• We actively support all School policies and procedures, even while working internally for constructive change on these same policies.
• We complete professional duties in a timely and thoughtful manner.
• We strive to be ethical role models in all matters of personal integrity.
• We teach and practice safe, legal and responsible use of social media, digital resources, fair use, copyright and Creative Commons policies.

Kindness

• We uphold the dignity and value of each member of the community by fostering a compassionate environment.
• We enrich the compassionate environment by possessing a generous spirit, positive attitude, and genuine concern for others.
• We build appropriate relationships with our students and support student activities, hoping that they feel known, valued and inspired.
• We support students proactively by monitoring their needs and progress.
• We provide extra help outside of class when it is needed.
• We seek to find the good in every student and every family.

Courage

• We create opportunities for children to be responsible for the many communities in which they live.
• We challenge ourselves and our students to take risks by going beyond the familiar to examine other ways of thinking and doing.
• We strengthen and develop our leadership and collaboration skills.
• We foster persistence when faced with obstacles. We make it clear that this attitude applies on the playing field, in the classroom, and in artistic domains.

Respect

• We recognize and value the beliefs and opinions of our colleagues, students and FWCD families.
• We communicate in a professional, compassionate and appropriately confidential manner.
• We seek to develop and sustain collegial relationships with parents.
• We pursue a cooperative approach among our academic, athletics and arts departments.
• Administrators, grade-level teams and support staff also adopt a cooperative approach with one another and with the academic, athletics and arts departments.
• We adopt a problem-solving rather than a fault-finding attitude when addressing problems or issues by speaking directly to the person(s) involved.
• We respect ourselves by committing to personal wellness, which includes responsible decision-making.

Responsibility

• We seek to support each student’s well-being and total development as a person.
• We use multiple teaching approaches and search for ways to expand our teaching “comfort zones.” We assess, evaluate and adjust our methods and philosophies in an ever-changing educational environment.
• We consider our personal goals and our departments’ goals a part of the wider mission of the School.
• We create a secure and safe environment in which students grow in both autonomy and in the ability to work and play together.
• We are true Falcons. The School is an important part of our lives, and not merely a job. 
• We attend plays, concerts and athletic events; proctor tests; engage in service learning with students; serve on professional committees; and accompany students on School-sponsored trips. FWCD faculty act as a part of the “whole package.”

Scholarship

• We use our training and knowledge of our disciplines to design and review courses and programs so they are appropriate to the developmental characteristics of each grade level.
• We participate in professional development opportunities that enhance the quality of our curricula and instruction, and we collaborate with other faculty.
• We exhibit our passion for our subject matter and for teaching and learning.
• We enhance our course content by referring to recent events, discoveries, research and/or stories relevant to our students’ lives.
• We challenge students with meaningful and varied assessments according to rigorous but fair grading criteria. By providing ongoing feedback and encouragement, we help students grow as learners.
• We inspire students to be active learners, and we acknowledge that learning takes many forms. By focusing on problem-solving, synthesizing information and integrating knowledge, we challenge students to develop critical, independent thinking skills.
• We help students to become passionate, serious scholars who are capable of independent thought, effective communication, sustained work, meaningful collaboration, and generating original ideas.

Kindergarten early decision applicants will test in October, November and December.

Kindergarten new families will test in December, January and February.

Grade 1 will test after November by appointment at FWCD. 

Grades 2-12 will test on Saturday, February 8, 2025 at FWCD.

Kindergarten applicants of a current sibling, faculty or alumni, who apply only with FWCD, no later than November 8, 2024, and who agree to enroll no later than January 7, 2025, if accepted. You will be emailed an early admission decision on December 13, 2024 at 4 p.m.

Deferred early decision applicants, as well as any other sibling, faculty and alumni applicants who did not apply for early decision, will receive final notification at the same time as new families on February 14, 2025 at 4 p.m.

Please refer to the financial aid portion of our website for detailed information. If you need further assistance, email Student Accounts and Tuition Assistance Coordinator Caroline Tabor at caroline.tabor@fwcd.com.

FWCD is pleased to continue daily morning bus transportation for students who live in the west Fort Worth and Colleyville areas. Bus transportation is offered for morning pick-ups only; afternoon bus service is not available.

Bus Transportation Request Form

If you have any further questions or concerns, please contact Director of Transportation Heather Tatom at 817.302.3217 or email heather.tatom@fwcd.com.

Immunization Policy

Every student entering, attending or transferring to Fort Worth Country Day and every member of the School’s faculty and staff must be immunized against certain vaccine-preventable diseases as required by the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS).

For more information, see the following:

FWCD Immunization Policy

Visit the Texas Department of State Health Services website for additional information