Named in honor of Louise Thaden, a pioneering aviator from Bentonville, Thaden School opened in the fall of 2017 with just 50 students in Grades 7 and 9. With its well-resourced Indexed Tuition program, the School has grown steadily, and enrollment is over 345 students in Grades K-1 and 6-12 for the 2024-25 academic year. Designed by a world-class team of architects, the School’s 35-acre campus in downtown Bentonville will support as many as 600 students. By the 2026-27 academic year, Thaden will offer Grades K-12.

As Thaden expands into a full K-12 school, we are seeking several Specials teachers to complete our team. The Lower School is committed to arts and nature integration where children work and play in our classrooms, our two-acre natural playground, and the rich community of Northwest Arkansas.

Thaden School is now seeking a Lower School Librarian. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced librarian who is excited to grow a collection and a school library program.

Role and Responsibilities

• Empower young children to be critical thinkers, enthusiastic readers, skillful researchers, and ethical users of information.
• Establish and maintain an inviting and welcoming space that generates an understanding of and appreciation for the multifaceted role of libraries in the community.
• Curate, develop, manage, and promote a collection that represents diverse cultures, experiences, and viewpoints.
• Collaborate with grade-level teachers, the Middle/Upper School Librarian, and other Specials teachers.
• Prepare and administer the Lower School library budget to support specific program goals.
• Assist the Chief Technology Officer with the management, repair, and distribution of equipment.
• Support the successful integration of new technologies into the classroom by collaborating with faculty and students.
• Teach weekly library classes and Grades 2-4 technology classes.
• Attend and actively participate in-service days and faculty meetings.
• Perform duties outside the classroom during set hours (this includes recess, reception desk, carpool, and/or lunch duties).
• Effectively interact with a diverse population of students, families, faculty, and staff.
• Model Thaden’s philosophy in working with students, parents, colleagues, and administration.

Skills, Qualifications, and Attributes

• Positive personality and love for children.
• Interest in and in-depth knowledge about the teaching of early childhood students, including. those from a variety of racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Highly collaborative and collegial manner.
• Effective time management skills with the ability to manage, organize, and prioritize work.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• High proficiency with teaching and learning technology, accompanied by a willingness to learn new technologies.
• Ability to display strong initiative, internal motivation, and a willingness to take on responsibilities beyond those explicitly defined. Committed to professional learning and growth.
• Bachelor’s degree in library science or an appropriate content field.

Physical Requirements

• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Frequently required to sit, stand, or walk for extended periods.
• Occasionally required to reach with hands and arms.
• Ability to lift, push, or pull heavy objects, sometimes exceeding 50 lbs.
• Ability to work outdoors in various weather conditions, including heat, humidity, windy conditions, cold, snow, and ice.
• Occasionally required to bend, twist, or climb.
• Moderate concentration/intensity, which includes prolonged mental effort with limited opportunity for breaks.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

About Thaden School

A non-sectarian independent school under the direction of its own board, Thaden School offers a challenging and innovative educational program that ignites in 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 remarkably robust indexed tuition program supports the creation of a balanced learning community where students of many perspectives, talents, and interests come learn and grow stronger together. Located on a 30-acre campus in downtown Bentonville, the school is walking distance from the town square, Bright...water Culinary Institute, The Momentary (Crystal Bridges’ center for contemporary arts), and a variety of other educational resources. The school has also engaged a world-class team of architects to design an enduring and innovative campus that will spark curiosity, inspire creativity, and invite reflection. The principal designer, Marlon Blackwell, is the 2020 recipient of the American Institute of Architect’s Gold Medal, the Institute’s highest honor. The school’s first permanent buildings opened last fall, and the campus master plan will be completed in the fall of 2021. 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, 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. For more information about the region and its national rankings, see Finding NWA and the website for the Northwest Arkansas Council. The school’s website features videos and additional information regarding its educational programs, faculty and leadership.

Show more

Show less

Connections working at Thaden School