Enrollment

• FPDS serves approximately 700 students, from K3 through sixth grade.
• Our students represent more than 20 different ZIP Codes from across the Jackson metro area.
• K3 and K4 average 12-14 students per class. Kindergarten and first grade classes average 14-16 students. Grades second through sixth average 18-20 students.

History & Campus

• Founded by First Presbyterian Church in 1965 at its current location, FPDS is housed within the church in the historic Belhaven neighborhood near downtown Jackson.
• Gary Herring was appointed head of school in 1987, serving as only the third headmaster in school history – a unique experience among private schools.
• Numerous classrooms have been renovated over the years, including the Idea Lab, library, and a state-of-the-art science lab.
• FPDS students have developed friendships and celebrated childhood with many school traditions dating back to the first year of the school, including Field Day, school plays, field trips, and class parties.

Faculty

• More than 70 teachers and administrators serve the student body.
• One-third of FPDS teachers have earned advanced degrees.
• FPDS administrators are encouraged by the Board of Trustees to visit other schools across the country to glean ideas and view other curricula being implemented.
• Each faculty member truly has a heart for the Lord, viewing his or her role at FPDS as a Christian calling, not just a job.
• Administrators conduct Student Support Team meetings throughout the year. In these meetings, they meet with each teacher as well as the school counselor and director of student services to discuss each child’s strengths and weaknesses so that we may better serve each student.
• FPDS is accredited by the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools and the Southern Association of Independent Schools.
• In 2013, Gary Herring was awarded the Joe F. Shepard Memorial Award from the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools, an annual award recognizing “outstanding school administrators.”

Enrichment Classes

• All students participate in both physical education and recess daily and receive weekly instruction in art, library, music, Spanish, and technology.

After-School Activities & Athletics

• FPDS offers after-school care for all students until 6:00 p.m.
• FPDS competes with other local schools in football (fifth and sixth grades) and swim team (first through sixth grades) and offers cheerleading (fifth and sixth grades), intramural basketball (fifth and sixth grades), and soccer (first through third grades).
• After-school enrichment opportunities include classes and lessons in the arts, sciences, and sports.
• Sixth Grade Honor Choir, Fifth Grade Choir, and our Strings Music Program (third through sixth grades) are part of the rich history of FPDS.
• One-on-one tutoring is available for students who require additional support.

Bible and Chapel

• First through sixth grade students attend Bible class four days a week and chapel once a week.
• Teachers share devotionals, prayer requests, and prayer time with students daily. Scripture memory and personal application of Biblical truths are part of daily instruction.
• Each year, a school-wide mission project is adopted to give students tangible ways to serve God and others.

Crusader Club

• Charged with the opportunity to support the ministry of the school, Crusader Club is the parent/teacher organization of FPDS.
• Holiday Potpourri is an annual fundraiser led by Crusader Club and the families of FPDS. Since 1974, funds raised through this event have provided an added level of excellence at FPDS, benefitting both faculty and students.

Beyond FPDS

• Each year, FPDS graduates are named National Merit Semi-Finalists, hold leadership positions in student government, and receive numerous honors and awards at high schools across the metro-Jackson area.
• Graduates attend top colleges and earn advanced degrees and honors from universities around the country.
• The list of FPDS graduates reads like a “who’s who” of the Jackson business community.
• FPDS alumni serve our community in numerous ways, including service in Boy Scouts, missions, and in churches across the city.

Technology

Technology does not replace curriculum but is integrated throughout, not only to reinforce basic foundational skills, but also to allow our students to collaborate, communicate, and create. A variety of technology resources are available for student use at the school, including iPads and Google Chromebooks in classrooms and the Idea Lab. From limited exposure to iPads in K3 to keyboarding instruction in the first grade to personal Chromebooks in the upper grades, students are well-prepared for the wide world of technology upon graduation from FPDS.

Under the Oaks Summer Program

Available for students who have completed K3 through fifth grades, Under the Oaks is a fun-filled interactive summer for your child. Open 7:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, Under the Oaks is available during the months of June and July with monthly, weekly, and drop-in options. For more information and fees, visit Under the Oaks.

School Hours

1st - 6th: 8 a.m. - 2:40 p.m.

K3 & K4: 8:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

K5: 8 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

Jump to: Preschool | Kindergarten | Grades 1 - 6

Preschool (K3/K4)

Step 1: Complete an application for admission.

• Access application at:  https://fp-ms.client.renweb.com/oa/?memberid=1452.
• A non-refundable registration fee of $75 must be submitted with each application.
• All applications received before October 31 a year prior to entering K3 or K4, including members of First Presbyterian Church, Jackson, and siblings of presently enrolled or former students, have priority status for admission.
• All applications received after October 31 will be considered in chronological order based on the date of the application.

Step 2: Submit copies of your child’s

• birth certificate and
• current immunization record with all necessary immunizations required to enter preschool.
  • Upload as an electronic document
  • Fax: 601-355-1739
  • Email:  Carolyn Wilkinson, director of admissions, at cwilkinson@fpds.org
  • Mail: 1390 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39202

​Step 3: Acceptance​

• You will be notified by email upon receipt of your application and other requested documents.
• In early December you will receive a letter informing you of your placement (acceptance or wait-list).

Step 4: Finalizing Enrollment

• Sign enrollment contract.
• Pay $300 enrollment fee.

Kindergarten (K5)

Step 1: Complete an application for admission.

• Access application at:  https://fp-ms.client.renweb.com/oa/?memberid=1452
• A non-refundable fee of $75 must be submitted with each application.
• All applications received before October 31 a year prior to entering kindergarten, including members of First Presbyterian Church, Jackson, and siblings of presently enrolled or former students, have priority status for admission.
• All applications received after October 31 will be considered in chronological order based on the date of the application.

Step 2: Submit copies of your child’s

• birth certificate and
• current immunization record with all necessary immunizations required to enter kindergarten.
  • Upload as an electronic document
  • Fax: 601-355-1739
  • Email:  Carolyn Wilkinson, director of admissions, at cwilkinson@fpds.org
  • Mail: 1390 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39202

​Step 3: Acceptance​

• You will be notified by email upon receipt of your application.
• In early December you will receive a letter informing you of your placement (acceptance or wait-list).
• This December letter will include assessment dates for those students who have been placed.
• Final acceptance of your child is pending:
  • The assessment results and
  • A speech, vision, hearing screening.

Step 4:  Finalizing Enrollment

• Sign enrollment contract.
• Pay $450 enrollment fee.

Grades 1 - 6

Step 1: Complete an online application.

• Access application at:  https://fp-ms.client.renweb.com/oa/?memberid=1452
• A non-refundable $75 application fee must be submitted with each application.

Step 2: Submit copies of your child’s

• Current report card and final report card from the most recent year;
• Standardized tests from the most recent year;
• All educational and diagnostic testing.
  • Upload as electronic documents
  • Fax: 601-355-1739
  • Email: cwilkinson@fpds.org
  • Mail: 1390 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39202

Step 3: Acceptance

• You will be notified by email upon receipt of your application and other requested documents.
• Contact Carolyn Wilkinson, director of admissions, to schedule pre-admission testing. (See above for contact information.)
• Final acceptance of your child is pending the admission testing results.

Step 4: Finalizing Enrollment

• Sign enrollment contract.
• Pay $550 enrollment fee.

First Presbyterian Day School is committed to providing an excellent education for all of our students. Tuition and fees continue to be among the lowest in the metro area due to the large supplement that First Presbyterian Church contributes toward tuition. Members of the church provide the costs of facility maintenance, electricity, water, air conditioning, heat, paper goods, supplies, and janitorial service. For questions about tuition and fees, please call us at 601-355-1731.

2018-2019 Tuition

New Student Application Fee:

• $75 (new students only - all grades)

Annual Enrollment Fee:

• $300/student (pre-school)
• $450/student (kindergarten)
• $550/student (grades 1-6)

Due Dates:

• Semi-annual (first semester) or annual tuition: August 5, 2017
• Second semester tuition: January 15, 2018

After-School Care:

• Crusader Circle (K3 & K4): $4.75/hour
• Company (K5 - 6th grade): $4.75/hour

Camp Connect:

• Required for all new students in rising grades 1-6
• Deadline to register - July 14
• $225/student before May 19; $250/student after May 19

Tuition Payments & Financial Aid:

• All enrolled families must have a FACTS account setup for  all tuition and incidiental payments.
• The application process for financial aid will be open February 1 through March 31 each year.  Applicants will be notified of aid awarded in mid-May.  All applications must be submitted through FACTS.
• Financial aid is not available for K3 and K4 preschool students.

Extra Curricular Activities & Summer Camps:

• Please check the Programs section of our website for extra-curricular activities and summer camps offered.