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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.
Before break, Thaden School’s first-ever Science Olympiad Team competed in the Science Olympiad Regional Tournament at Northwest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville. Our Middle School team went up against strong competitors, including Founders Classical Academy, Bentonville Public School, and Haas Hall Bentonville,
Representing Thaden Middle School were 14 dedicated students:
Grade 6: Ahana T., Hollie K., Grace S., Zoe B., Olivia K., Andrew F.
Grade 7: Sam B., Ben F., Lucy B., Avram G., Hannah R., Natalie C.
Grade 8: Lily Ann P., Gavin H.
With just two months of preparation, these students tackled a variety of challenging STEM events, including optics laser shooting, tower building, ecology test, meteorology test, anatomy test, wind power, and more. Their hard work and perseverance paid off!
Among the five Middle School (Division B) teams, Thaden earned outstanding achievements:
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Codebusters – 2nd Place: Natalie C., Hannah R., & Ben F.
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Ecology – 1st Place: Ben F. & Lucy B.
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Entomology – 1st Place: Gavin H. & Sam B.
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Meteorology – 1st Place: Lucy B. & Hannah R.
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Write It, Do It – 1st Place: Gavin H. & Olivia K.
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Wind Power – 1st Place: Andrew F. & Olivia K.
๐ Overall Division B Team Placement – 2nd Place for Thaden School!
Please join us in celebrating these Olympians for their curiosity, dedication, and fearless pursuit of science. They took on a new challenge, stepped into a competitive environment, and exceeded expectations—what an inspiring accomplishment!
Go, Thaden Science Olympians!
At the end of February, members of Thaden's Indigenous Student Union attended Resounding Sovereign Expressions: Resurgent Indigenuity in Ozark Arts Practice and Scholarship, hosted by the University of Arkansas’s Center for Art as Lived Experience.
This gathering brought together Indigenous artists, musicians, scholars, and activists to honor collective memory and imagine Indigenous futures in Northwest Arkansas. ISU members participated in an Indigenous student breakfast and meet and greet, attended the community welcome and land acknowledgment, and engaged with the impactful panel Retracing the Trail of Tears, where Indigenous leaders shared reflections on history, land, and ongoing resilience. The experience offered ISU members a meaningful opportunity to connect with Indigenous elders, learn from community leaders, and reflect on the significance of place, memory, and belonging in the Ozarks. As Julia Q. '26 said, "It was an eye-opening experience to be in a room full of Indigenous people who were so willing and ready to share their stories and experiences. It provided a sense of belonging in an area of education and of my own identity that has been silenced throughout history. It allowed me to see the strength, resilience, and power of Indigenous communities through the stories and art of Indigenous scholars."
Drs. Robert Conn and Noreen Kupernik led the Latin IV/V students to the annual Living Latin in New York City conference at Fordham University. Robert Conn and his Latin V students' presentation, "Creating loci in locis in Arkansas" highlighted the Latin graffiti project he created to tell Thaden's and his Latin students' stories around campus. After an overview of the project that detailed how other Latin programs can create their own graffiti projects, the current Latin V students, Robby Apple, Austin Krug, and Amelie Herndon, showcased some of their work! You can find several of their graffiti around campus in the Great Hall, North Hall, and The Barn.
The Living Latin in NYC conference brought together spoken Latinists from around the globe to engage in conversation, discussion of texts from the ancient world through the Renaissance, and light-hearted activities such as Latin and Greek karaoke. Reflecting on their experiences, Amelie Herndon said, “From eavesdropping on strangers in the halls and elevators to the guy who offered me the seat next to him before a lecture, people are breathing new life into Latin as a spoken language everywhere at this conference, and I feel so lucky to be a part of this community!” Lily Cate Caldwell added “Living Latin in New York not only introduced me to like-minded teenagers who are passionate about Latin but also incredible professionals who really embody spoken Latin in their everyday lives. It was incredible to hear and understand conversations between individuals conducted solely in Latin.”
Fourteen of our talented math students recently competed in the MATHCOUNTS regional competition at the University of Arkansas on February 8, representing our school with skill and determination. Participants included Natalie C. '30, Finley C. '30, Ben F. '30, Clara N. '29, Gabbi S. '30, Abe W. '30, Andrew W. '30, Juju D. '29, Ahana T. '31, Emmery A. '31, Avram G. '30, Will D. '30, Mila S. '30, and Quinn H. '30.
MATHCOUNTS is a national nonprofit organization that provides engaging math programs and competitions for middle school students across the U.S. The program is designed to build confidence and foster problem-solving skills in young mathematicians.
We are especially proud to recognize Clara, who earned our school’s top honor, and Clara and Ahana, who both placed in the top 25% of our region! It was inspiring to watch our students take on challenging problems in a University of Arkansas College of Engineering classroom, experiencing the excitement of competition in a collegiate setting. Congratulations to all who participated!
Tim S. '26 auditioned for the NWA Jazz All-Star Youth program and was selected to be a member for this year's ensemble! This group is comprised of the best jazz students in the region and is an incredible opportunity for Tim to learn and grow. The ensemble rehearses once a week and the experience culminates in a professional recording and a clinic and performance with a world renowned guest artist. This year's guest artist is saxophonist Steve Wilson, who is currently on faculty at the New England Conservatory, and who has played on countless recordings, most notably with Chick Corea and Dave Holland.
Congratulations, Tim!