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 380 students in Grades K-2 and 5-12 for the 2025-26 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 now seeks a Lower School PE Teacherto design innovative curricula and support students in developing physical fitness, a love of movement, and an understanding of the principles of wellness.

Role and Responsibilities

• Work with the Head of Lower School and Curriculum Specialist to carry out the physical education and wellness program through effective curriculum development and implementation, classroom management, and parent communication.
• Create an environment that facilitates the social-emotional development of each student.
• Collaborate with grade-level teachers, other specialist teachers, as well as middle and upper school PE teachers to ensure integration and vertical alignment.
• Attend and participate in faculty in-service meetings, faculty professional development, student gatherings, and other school functions, as requested.
• Select, store, order, issue, and inventory equipment, materials, and supplies.
• Perform duties outside the classroom during set hours (e.g., recess, reception desk, carpool, and/or lunch duties).
• Effectively interact with a diverse population of students, families, and faculty and staff.
• Coach at least one athletic sport with after-school responsibilities.

Skills, Qualifications, and Attributes

• Experience teaching PE at the elementary level.
• Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology, Elementary Education, or a related field.
• NICA certification or a willingness to obtain certification.
• Experience partnering with other educators to create interdisciplinary learning experiences for students.
• Ability to think broadly and creatively about student-centered learning.
• Excellent verbal and written skills.

 Physical Requirements

• Job frequently requires standing, walking, and handling objects with hands.
• Job occasionally requires reaching, climbing, stooping, kneeling, pushing, pulling, and lifting up to 50 pounds.

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.

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Connections working at Thaden School