Thaden School, a new independent school in Bentonville, Arkansas, invites applications for full-time faculty members to design and teach our science curriculum. Faculty may teach in both the middle (grades 6, 7 and 8) and upper school (grades 9, 10 and 11) divisions in 2019-2020 (our third year of operations), and will collaborate with colleagues across disciplines and divisions as the school builds the curriculum for subsequent years. Thaden’s faculty currently consists of 25 educators who hold degrees from 28  different colleges and universities, including 17 master’s degrees and four doctorates, all in subjects they teach or in the general field of education. The Founding Head of School and the senior leadership are also members of the faculty and teach courses at Thaden. 

About the School and the Region 

A non-sectarian independent school under the direction of its own board, Thaden School offers a challenging and innovative educational program that ignites in its students a passion for discovery and learning, prepares them to succeed in college, and inspires them to lead lives of integrity, purpose and responsible global citizenship. At the core of the school’s mission is a commitment to balance that takes many forms: a curriculum that integrates the sciences and the humanities; indoor and outdoor teaching spaces where sustainability is a tangible part of the lesson; hands-on programs for civic engagement; athletics and physical education programs that build confidence and character through competition and meaningful participation; and a diverse faculty and staff that empower students to think deeply and expansively about their potential and place in the world. The

school’s indexed tuition program further supports the creation of a balanced learning community where many perspectives, talents, and interests come together. 

Located on a 30-acre campus in downtown Bentonville’s emerging Arts and Market District, the school is walking distance from the town square, Brightwater Culinary Institute, the future site of Crystal Bridges’ center for contemporary arts, and a variety of other educational resources. With the support of the Walton Family Foundation’s Design Excellence Program, the school has engaged a nationally renowned team of architects to design an enduring and innovative campus that will spark curiosity, inspire creativity, and invite reflection. The design and construction of the campus will be complete before the school commences its third academic year in 2020. During its first two academic years (beginning in the fall of 2017), Thaden School will operate in a combination of temporary and permanent structures located on a 5-acre portion of its campus. 

The school serves students from all parts of the growing and diverse region of Northwest Arkansas, which also includes Rogers, Springdale, Fayetteville, and a number of other townships. With more than 500,000 residents, the region combines a thriving economy with the natural beauty of the Ozarks and a rich variety of cultural and recreational amenities such as the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the Razorback Regional Greenway Trail System, the Scott Family Amazeum, and the Bentonville Film Festival. Northwest Arkansas is also home to the world headquarters of three Fortune 500 companies (Walmart, Tyson Foods, and J.B. Hunt) as well as the University of Arkansas, the flagship campus of the state’s higher education system. For more information about the region and its resources, see the website for Finding NWA. 

Please visit the Thaden website for detailed information regarding its mission, leadership and faculty, educational programs, indexed tuition program, and campus plan as well as recent news releases.  

Responsibilities

• Teaching four sections of middle and/or upper school science or STEM courses
• Serving on a grade-level team to support the socioemotional, academic, and intellectual development of students
• Collaborating with faculty, staff, and administrative members in integrating curricula through our Wheels, Reels, and Meals programs
• Serving as an Advisor to a small group of students (includes academic coaching, facilitating conversations on social justice and cultural competency, and supporting the development of skills)
• Sponsoring a student club and/or coaching an activity or sport
• Supporting field learning and outdoor education trips
• Participating in faculty meetings
• Planning and facilitating Intensives (two week-long collaborative, hands-on, and interdisciplinary projects)
• Working with the Division Director(s) to develop enriching and challenging elective courses
• Taking advantage of professional growth opportunities and presenting learning to the community
• Advising on classroom design, educational technology, and other learning equipment and materials
• Supporting all school programs as needed