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Teaching Fellowship

Thaden School
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Opportunity Statement

Teaching Fellowship


 

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 2025-2026 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. 

Thaden School contributes to the development of future independent school leaders as a partner of the Independent School Teaching Residency (ISTR) of the Penn Graduate School of Education (GSE).  Each year, we will welcome a cohort of Penn Fellows to our teaching faculty and support their learning as they pursue their Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.) from Penn GSE. The ISTR curriculum distinguishes itself through its intentional integration of cutting-edge research and an immersive teaching fellowship at partner schools. Our fellows will work in collaboration with a discipline-specific mentor. Led by our Head of Middle School, Dr. Mary Cathleen Smith, our program strives to empower our Penn Fellows to contribute meaningfully and with a positive impact to the student experience at Thaden School.

Role and Responsibilities 


 

Penn Fellows will:

  • Teach a modified course load.
  • Coach, lead, and/or advise at least two co-curricular, student-facing programs per year, which usually include coaching a sport and sponsoring a club.
  • Lead a student advisory group with the support of the assistant head for the duration of the fellowship.  
  • Attend and participate in all faculty meetings and school/division-wide assemblies as members of the Thaden faculty.
  • Meet regularly with the Head of Middle School to apply learning from the ISTR curriculum to their teaching and learning at Thaden School.
  • Meet weekly with their faculty mentor to collaborate on pedagogy and curriculum relevant to the fellow, the mentor, and the ISTR curriculum.
  • Conduct classroom and campus-wide observations as determined by the fellow and their faculty mentor, the Head of Middle School, and the Independent School Teaching Residency (ISTR) faculty of Penn GSE.
  • Participate in their evaluation process with the Head of Middle School, with input from relevant collaborators (mentors, co-advisors, athletic director, etc.), using indicators appropriate for and designed by the Independent School Teaching Residency (ISTR) program in conjunction with Thaden School expectations for faculty.



 

Skills, Qualifications, and Attributes


 

  • Positive personality and love for children. 
  • Strong desire to learn about the art of teaching.
  • Highly collaborative and collegial manner.
  • Consistent, highly professional behavior, including discretion, judgment, and integrity. 
  • Dedicated work ethic: proactive, responsible, reliable, punctual, and attentive to deadlines. 
  • Effective time management skills with the ability to manage, organize, and prioritize work. 
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills. 
  • Flexibility with the special needs associated with an academic calendar and schedule. 
  • Ability to display strong initiative, internal motivation, and a willingness to take on responsibilities beyond those explicitly defined. Committed to professional learning and growth. 
  • Undergraduate degree in the content area being taught.
  • Candidate must also complete the required background check.

 

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 25 pounds.
  • Some work is performed outside and may require exposure to changing weather conditions.


 

Wage Classification

 

Based on the duties and requirements above, this position will be paid as a salaried exempt employee.

 

Applications


 

Please submit a statement outlining your interest in teaching, detailing subject matter expertise and extracurricular areas of experience, transcripts, two reference letters, and a resume to Mary Cathleen Smith, Head of Middle School. The start date is the summer of 2026. Thaden is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all federal, state, and local laws that prohibit discrimination in employment because of race, color, national origin, citizenship, age (18 or older), religion, disability, marital status, veteran status, and sexual orientation. Applications by members of all underrepresented groups, including women and people of color, are encouraged.


 

All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a criminal background check and acceptance into the Penn Graduate School of Education.


 

About the 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. The School received full accreditation by the Independent School Association of the Central States in January, 2023, and Niche.com named Thaden the #1 independent high school in the state of Arkansas in 2022, 2023, and 2024.


 

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 robust Indexed Tuition program supports the creation of a balanced learning community where students of many perspectives, talents, and interests learn and grow stronger together. 


 

Located on a 35-acre campus in downtown Bentonville, the School is walking distance from the town square, Brightwater Culinary Institute, The Momentary, and a variety of other educational resources. The School engaged a world-class team of architects to design an enduring and innovative campus that sparks curiosity, inspires creativity, and invites reflection. The principal designer, Marlon Blackwell, is the 2020 recipient of the American Institute of Architects’ Gold Medal, the Institute’s highest honor. The School’s first permanent buildings opened in the fall of 2019 and the completed campus was recently the subject of a feature article in Architectural Record.


The School’s website features additional information regarding its mission, educational programs, and faculty and staff.