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Our Mission

Our mission is to provide a balanced and challenging education that ignites in our 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.

Our Story

With the generous support of the Walton Family Foundation, we opened in the fall of 2017 and will continue to grow incrementally to serve up to 600 students in Grades K-12.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

Thaden School is committed to actively engaging with the ever-unfinished and essential work of diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism.

WHY THADEN?

Our Students

By virtue of our Indexed Tuition program and small class sizes, we offer a learning culture in which students of many interests, aspirations, and backgrounds can share and explore different points of view under the guidance of nurturing, even-handed educators. As our students discover their common ground and learn from their differences, they grow better prepared for life and citizenship in a nation founded upon a shared commitment to the value of civil debate and diversity of thought.

Our Faculty

Recruited from all parts of the United States and many parts of the world, our educators bring to our campus a passion for and mastery of the subjects they teach and the ability to educate, inspire, and mentor young people, inside and outside of the classroom. The diverse talents, interests, regional identities, and backgrounds of our faculty create a learning environment that empowers students to think expansively and imaginatively about their potential and the course of their journey in life.

Our Curriculum

Our core curriculum not only provides students with a broad foundation in the sciences and the humanities but also teaches them how to integrate disciplines and understand their dynamic connections. Our commitment to interdisciplinary problem solving also finds rich expression in our three signature programs — Wheels, Reels, and Meals — where students combine multiple fields of study and engage with community partners in ways that foster a strong sense of civic responsibility. Intensives and other forms of independent study as well as Community-Based Learning (CBL) courses provide further opportunities for students to form and investigate their own questions from many angles.

Our Campus

Designed by a nationally renowned team of architects, our campus is itself a teacher that sparks curiosity, inspires creativity, and invites reflection. As students move through the course of the day, they encounter a variety of architectural spaces and landscape features that enhance their learning while creating an enduring and enriching sense of place.

Our Community

As our school community continues to grow, we continue to be intentional about fostering a sense of belonging that makes each and all of us feel known, seen, heard, and celebrated. Thaden aspires to be a school where a diverse community can feel a shared sense of belonging.

Latest News

Check out the most recent Thaden news below. View All News.

Student Art on Display at Fayetteville Public Library

Apr 17 2026

The Thaden Visual Arts Department is thrilled to announce that five students, in Grades 5 and 7, are participating in the 2026 Arkansas Art Educators’ Northwest Arkansas Regional Art Show Competition. The artwork is displayed at the Fayetteville Public Library from April 11 to May 2 in the Lucky Day Lobby (level 200). Two-dimensional art created by K-12 grade students in the Northwest regional counties of Washington, Benton, Carroll, Boone, Marion, Madison, Newton, Searcy, Pope, Van Buren, and Conway is on display during the exhibition. Winning artists will also be invited to an awards ceremony and a state show at the end of the exhibition.

Participating Thaden students include: Vivian M. ‘31, Grace S. ‘31, Elijah W. ‘31, Emery M. ‘33, and Vivienne S.D. ‘33.

Please go to the Fayetteville Public Library and check out our amazing artists' work!

Scholastic Art and Writing Awards 2026

Apr 9 2026

Thaden School is thrilled to announce that numerous students have received honors in the 2026 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards for the Heartland Region. Presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, the Scholastic Awards are the longest-running and most prestigious recognition program for creative teens in the United States. Established in 1923, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards bring the work of young people to regional and national audiences. The Scholastic Awards recognize students in grades 7 -12 with the distinctions of Honorable Mention, Silver Key, and Gold Key. Gold key works automatically advance to the national level of judging in New York City.

The awards have recognized some of America's most celebrated artists and writers while they were teenagers, including Tschabalala Self, Stephen King, Kay WalkingStick, Amanda Gorman, Charles White, Joyce Carol Oats, and Andy Warhol. We are proud to count our Thaden students among these esteemed award alumni!

See full list of Thaden award winners here.

Grade 7 Nature Overnight: Stewardship in Action

Apr 2 2026

On March 12–13, Grade 7 students traveled together for the inaugural Nature Overnight, a two-day outdoor learning experience focused on stewardship, community, exploring the natural world, and play. Students participated in hands-on environmental learning, including weathering investigations, decomposer exploration in the forest, and a guided stewardship hike where they observed natural cycles in action.

The trip also included recreation, team-building challenges, and time to connect as a class community. The evening concluded with a classic campfire complete with s’mores. The experience offered students a memorable opportunity to deepen their understanding of environmental responsibility while building friendships outdoors.

Students Sweep Awards at Language Competition

Mar 12 2026

Last weekend, Thaden students in Grades 8-12 participated in an annual competition hosted by the Arkansas Foreign Language Teachers Association (AFLTA) at Harding University. Our students earned numerous top placements across Latin, Spanish, and Mandarin events. Students competed in a variety of categories, including vocabulary, poetry recitation, extemporaneous speaking and reading, culture bowl, music performance, and visual arts. Students gathered to compete from schools across the state.

Our students brought home multiple first-place awards and top-three placements.

Click here to see the full list of student awards and results.

Model UN Club Travels to Chicago

Mar 5 2026

In February, nine members of Thaden’s Model United Nations Club traveled with sponsors Ms. King and Dr. Maher to the 38th Model United Nations of the University of Chicago (MUNUC) conference. Head delegate Brennan M. ‘29, K L. ‘27, Millie S. ‘27, and Sonakshi D. ‘29 represented the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan; Eden-Belle R. ‘27, Teagan K. ‘27, and Killian S. ‘27 represented the Republic of Estonia; Lindley S. ‘27 represented the Republic of Yemen; and Jesse C. ‘28 represented the Kyrgyz Republic.

Building on their participation in the 60th Arkansas Model United Nations (AMUN) conference in November, students continued to practice their skills in research, public speaking, negotiation, and collaborative problem solving. “The Model UN trip was a phenomenal opportunity,” Sonakshi D. said. “The Chicago conference significantly boosted my confidence as I spoke and discussed our topic with other delegates. It was an enjoyable experience because I was able to connect with people from all over the United States and even some people from outside the country.”

Students worked with peers from over 100 other high schools to debate and propose solutions to issues such as bioweapons, implementation of predictive policing tools, and the protection and preservation of World Heritage sites. “MUNUC was an amazing experience,” Jesse C. said. “It provided the opportunity to experience Model United Nations on a large scale. In a committee of more than 100 people, I was able to grow as a delegate, and, perhaps more importantly, as a collaborator, as I was working to combat issues faced by World Heritage sites.”

The Model UN Club meets on Wednesdays from 3:30 to 5:00 pm and is open to students in Grades 7-12.

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