7 minute read
Building a New Lower School
By Caren Handleman
A new lower school building? Why? We love the current building. It’s where we fell in love with learning …
Since its construction in 1964, the current Lower School building, which houses the Annie Richardson Bass Lower School, has ably served Fort Worth Country Day’s youngest students. Nestled among the trees, the Lower School building has been a welcoming place for entry into FWCD’s educational system, a place to acquire new skills, make new friends, and embrace a love of learning. Students who entered FWCD in Lower School have fond memories of the library and its fireplace, playground and classrooms, as well as of their teachers, programs and community.
Built almost 60 years ago, the current building has been remodeled and adapted over the years but can no longer be renovated to achieve current and future needs to meet best practices in educational environments for young children. After careful and thorough evaluation by San Antonio architecture firm Lake|Flato, it was determined that the existing Lower School facilities had limited possibilities for updating. The majority of walls are load-bearing, and the eight-foot ceilings are unchangeable, making it nearly impossible to create more open classroom spaces, add larger windows, and build the desired academic areas that would support our teachers in delivering the early education that FWCD is known for.
At the conclusion of the assessment, it was determined that the cost of constructing a new building was modestly more than renovation costs. However, the resulting learning environment will be exponentially greater – a learning environment allowing teachers to take advantage of designs that bridge indoors and outdoors, increase natural light, and expand learning areas. These resources increase their ability to develop lessons and programs that meet 21st-century education systems and standards to best serve our youngest students.
Timeline and Next Steps
In March 2023, the FWCD Board of Trustees voted unanimously to proceed with construction of the new Lower School building. With the Board’s green light, a number of next steps in the Lower School building project are imminent.
Ground preparation for the customdesigned Temporary Classroom Village began over the summer, and students will begin the 2023-24 academic year in the current Lower School building. FWCD anticipates relocating grades 1 through 4 from the current Lower School to the Temporary Classroom Village in November or December 2023. The new Lower School is anticipated to be ready for students in the first half of 2025.
“Before retiring the 1964 vintage building that has served the School so well for 60 years, we engaged Lake|Flato’s nationally renowned architecture team to design the building and Fort Worth local landscape architecture firm Hocker Design to create beautiful surrounding spaces,” shared Head of School Eric Lombardi in a letter to current FWCD families, faculty and staff. “Leading the construction will be a local team from Linbeck.”
Reaching this milestone is possible due to generous donors who shared the vision of the new Lower School building. FWCD also acknowledges and is grateful for the tireless work of members of the Comprehensive Campaign Steering Committee: Cochairs William Butler ’96, Gloria Moncrief Holmsten ’00, Rob Semple ’95, Heather and Ryan Senter, and committee members Randy Eisenman ’93, Gantt Bumstead, Bryan King, Stephen Luskey ’01, and Helen and Michael Todora.
The School also acknowledges the extraordinary efforts of the Lower School Sub-committee, particularly Co-chairs the Todoras, and members Claire and Joseph Berkes ’98, Anne Carvalho, Larkin and Richard McMillan, and Mary (Hallman ’03) and Dwayne Smith, for their instrumental work in securing gifts and pledges for this essential project.
This fall, FWCD will move into a community-wide, “public” phase of the campaign, as well as 60th-anniversary celebrations. More information about both will be shared in the fall. Join us at some – or all – events.
We Need You!
We are not at the finish line yet – and will be seeking financial support from other members of the extended Falcon community. Please join fellow Falcon alumni, parents, grandparents, and community members by talking with the School about the new Lower School building and how you can be a vital part of this effort.
For more information and to schedule a private conversation, please contact Sandra Tuomey, Director of Advancement (sandra.tuomey@fwcd.com or 817.302.3223).
The new Lower School building will provide an environment that supports teachers’ educational goals and classroom activities. The goal is to provide a facility that fully supports faculty in providing academic and co-curricular activities that will serve students from their earliest school days and forward through the years.
View the video at fwcd.org/lsvideo.
Summary of features and benefits:
Creates a new learning environment that takes advantage of its setting, with ready access for students and faculty to the outdoors
Provides increased security in terms of access and increased safety during major storms
Features a larger library that serves as the heart of the school
Accommodates a variety of programs, including performances, lectures and after-school programs in new spaces
Creates classrooms that provide more open spaces, support academic programs, and recognize the learning styles and physical needs of young students
Provides additional academic spaces, including two dedicated science classrooms, a collaboratory, and two dedicated offices for Academic Support Coordinators.
FWCD’s Comprehensive Campaign: Forward Together
Fort Worth Country Day’s goal is to provide for the long-term needs of students and the city by providing the Best Teachers, the Best Teaching and the Best Teaching Environment. Achieving these priorities will ensure FWCD’s ability to continue providing leading-edge education, essential for the development of future leaders for the community, the city and the country.
In the years since its founding, FWCD continually assesses its progress and achievements toward the fulfillment of delivering outstanding education and academic preparedness to its students. The most recent comprehensive strategic planning process reaffirmed the School’s commitment to play a more integral role in the greater Fort Worth community by expanding its accessibility and diversity.
Built upon the strategic plan and campus master plan, the Forward Together campaign has four distinct priorities, each supporting the School’s mission and each meeting critical goals that serve students, families, faculty and the city of Fort Worth. The priorities are:
Endowment for Sustainability - $8 million
Lower School Building New Construction - $24 million
Athletic Fields and Track Enhancements - $3.5 million (funded)
FWCD Fund - $5 million
After identifying and aligning FWCD’s highest-priority capital projects and long-term programming needs, the comprehensive campaign, Forward Together, has received gifts and pledges totaling $26 million. The formal announcement of the campaign will be made on Friday, October 6, at the football game against The John Cooper School. This will mark the start of the campaign’s public phase, when all members of the FWCD community will be invited to participate as campaign contributors. Your support is important to securing the future of the School.
