MS Art and Theatre Teacher Tricia Franks is retiring at the end of this year, concluding a 30-year tenure at Fort Worth Country Day. Franks started teaching at FWCD in 1991. 

“The most rewarding thing about teaching at FWCD has been seeing many of the kids that I’ve taught go on to do some great work,” Franks said. 

“Today is my last teaching day.  I am finally retiring after 30 years at Fort Worth Country Day.  I have been blessed by teaching at the greatest school and have made friendships that will be lasting,” Franks said on her Facebook page. 

Franks plans to take full advantage of her free time during retirement. She has plans to go on a cruise with her family in September. The cruise will visit Honduras and Belize. She also plans to visit Cornwall, United Kingdom once the UK lifts their Covid-19 restrictions. 

Despite the vacations, Franks thinks she will live in Fort Worth for the rest of her life. In fact, she wants to teach art lessons in a studio attached to her house as soon as it is safe to do so. 

Though she will not be teaching at FWCD anymore, Franks will still be on campus plenty, as her granddaughter Lily Moreno ‘30 will be in fourth grade next year. 

She also would like to come back to FWCD as a substitute, preferably for art classes. 

“The thing that I’m going to miss most about Country Day is the sense of community and watching kids grow up from lower school to seniors,” Franks said.

Many of her friends on Facebook are actually former students of hers. She even has one real-life friend that she taught in Natalie Bracken ‘05. Bracken was in Franks’ art class when she went to school here, and they have remained close to this day. Bracken teaches ballet at FWCD. 

Over her 30 years at Country Day, Franks estimates that she has taught several hundreds of kids through her classes, as well as summer programs. 

“I hope you know the impact you’ve had on your students! You hold a special place in many, many hearts,” Kassadi Phillips, a former student of Franks’, said on Facebook.

“Mrs. Franks was such a great teacher because of all of the great instruction that she gave, as well as making art class such a fun part of the day,” Jilli Carson ‘23 said.