Thaden School to add lower grades

BENTONVILLE — The time is right for Thaden School to add a lower division to join the students in its middle and high school programs, Head of School Clayton Marsh said Wednesday.

Thaden serves students in grades 6-12. Kindergarten through fifth grade will be brought aboard incrementally, starting with kindergarten and first grade next fall, according to a Thaden news release.

The continued growth in Northwest Arkansas and Thaden’s overall success drove the decision, Marsh said.

“We feel that our upper and middle schools are well established and have been very successful,” he said.

The upper and middle schools, which serve more than 320 students combined, have settled into a “good, solid growth pattern,” Marsh said.

Now school leaders want to develop a lower school model, he said.

“We are proud and excited to be part of the educational landscape in this region,”

Marsh said.

Thaden, which opened in 2017 with support from the Walton Family Foundation, has a 30-acre campus in downtown Bentonville.

Thaden’s accreditation is through the Independent Schools Association of the Central States, Marsh said, and the school prefers to call itself independent instead of private.

“Since its opening, Thaden School has provided Northwest Arkansas families with another high-quality option when it comes to educating their students,” Naccaman Williams, director of special projects for the Walton Family Foundation, said in the release. “We’re excited to see that continue with the addition of a lower school.”

As a Thaden parent, Latriece Watkins said she’s seen the value of a Thaden education firsthand.

“My daughter approaches challenges in a problem solving manner, is able to confidently speak about advanced subject matter and has had classes and experiences that have and will continue to set her up for success in her future,” Watkins said. “I am excited that Thaden is extending this learning opportunity to younger students in Northwest Arkansas. It strengthens the options for education in some of the most formative years.”

Thaden will do a national search to find the lower school leader. The school seeks someone who ignites “the same passion for discovery and learning that shines so brightly in our middle and upper school students,” Marsh said in the release.

The lower school will have a dedicated space on campus, and information about the curriculum, faculty, tuition and infrastructure will be available in the new year, according to the release.

Niche.com ranks Thaden as the top private high school in Arkansas.

The school is named after Louise Thaden, who was born and raised in Bentonville and went on to become one of the greatest aviators of her time. Thaden lived from 1905 to 1979. The city’s municipal airport is also named after her.