Pre-Kindergarten Teacher

Welcome to Middle Valley Elementary — Home of the Marvels! Located in Hixson, TN, just north of Chattanooga, Middle Valley Elementary (PK-5) is a vibrant school community where every student is a Marvel—a wonderful and astonishing person with limitless potential. Our core values are Opportunity, Excellence and Connection.

At MVES, teacher growth and student success go hand in hand. We offer well-rounded learning opportunities that include:

• Personalized professional development through new teacher mentor support
• Weekly collaborative planning with amazing instructional coaches and teams
• Learning Labs where teachers observe best practices in real time
• A dedicated STEM classroom with outdoor learning opportunities
• A strong arts program that nurtures creativity and expression
• Student-selected clubs for 3rd-5th graders

Our commitment to excellence has earned us the highest academic growth score of 5 many times, most recently in 2025! Over the last five years, Middle Valley Elementary has received recognition as a Governors Civic Sea School, RTI2-B Exemplary School, and a 2021 Tennessee Reward School—the highest school honor in the state.

Responsibilities

• Maintain appropriate licensure and acknowledge that continued employment is contingent upon providing required documentation to validate licensure and highly qualified status in a timely manner.
• Read and follow the Tennessee State Board of Education Administered Child Care Rules, Scope of Services for Voluntary Pre-K Tennessee Programs, and the Hamilton County Department of Education Pre-K Handbook.
• Follow the assigned curriculum and adhere to the pacing guide.
• Ensure that students are signed in and out each day.
• Provide learning experiences in language arts, physical education, art, music, health, and other subject matter suited to the needs of students.
• Develop and use instructional materials suitable for verbal or visual instruction of students with a wide range of mental, physical, and emotional maturities.
• Sit with pre-k students at all mealtimes and snack and provide active supervision throughout the school day.
• Develop in each student an awareness of their worth as an individual and their role in the family and community.
• Encourage students to express themselves creatively in art, music, and dramatic play.
• Provide individual and small group instruction designed to meet individual needs of students in communication skills, health habits, physical skills, and development of satisfactory self-concepts.
• Work with other support personnel or agencies to promote student development.
• Enrich educational program through study trips to community resources such as museums, parks, zoos, and through classroom visits by resource persons from the school and community.
• Share and interpret these experiences with students and parents.
• Plan and coordinate the work of aides, assistants, parents, and volunteers in the classroom and on field trips.
• Perform miscellaneous tasks as needed; check students for possible illness; administer basic first aid to sick/injured students.
• Administer appropriate pre-k assessments based on district timelines.
• Monitor and assess student progress to provide feedback on a regular basis to students, their parents, and administration.
• Maintain accurate, complete, and legible records as required by law and the school district.
• Develop activities for parents, which promote parent participation and involvement in education activities provided for their children.
• Communicate regularly with parents by means of parent meetings, newsletters, home visits, and individual student’s needs and the school’s role in the individual’s life.
• Provide an appropriate climate to establish and reinforce acceptable student behavior, attitudes, and social skills.
• Cooperate with other professional staff members in assessing and helping students solve health, attitude, and learning problems.
• Create an effective environment for learning through functional and attractive displays, interest centers, and exhibits of students’ work based on state guidelines.
• Participate in faculty meetings, district professional development, educational conferences, and other activities that promote professional growth and student achievement.
• Participate in curriculum and other developmental programs as appropriate.
• Implement district, state, and federal policies, regulations, and laws.
• Maintain order in the classroom, and in conjunction with administrative staff, administer discipline when necessary to achieve proper behavior.
• Manage student conduct and disciplinary issues in accordance with district, state, and federal guidelines, policies, and procedures.
• Consult with professionals regarding learning disabilities, substance abuse, or social adjustment issues, and coordinate intervention decisions with parents.
• Maintain mandated reporting responsibilities for suspected abuse or neglect.
• Document student performance via district systems to ensure receiving school/teacher has necessary information for instructional continuity.
• Communicate through the proper channels to keep appropriate personnel informed of impending problems or events of unusual nature.
• Share responsibility with teachers and paraprofessionals for monitoring halls, study periods, lunchroom, bus duty, assemblies, field trips, and extracurricular activities.
• Maintain accurate records and reports of academic performance, attendance, interventions, and social acclimation.
• Report on all aspects of student development for school records and parents; conduct parent-teacher conferences on both a regularly scheduled and as-needed basis.
• Plan and coordinate events, field trips, and community activities, including guest speakers and student enrichment programs.
• Sponsor student organizations and supervise other activities as needed, such as athletic gate monitoring.
• Comply with accounting and financial policies and procedures involving the handling of money and property, as well as other Board policies.
• Provide general physical assistance to students with various disabilities, including assisting students with toileting, feeding, and other self-help and behavioral needs.
• Collaborate with teams to plan instruction, assess progress, and support IEP and 504 plan implementation.
• Respond to emergencies and ensure student safety both on and off campus.
• Comply with applicable district, state, and federal codes, laws, rules, regulations, standards, policies, and procedures.
• Adhere to the Teacher Code of Ethics as defined by Tennessee Law.
• Act in a professional, respectful, and welcoming manner at all times.
• Create a customer-focused climate and provide quality services and support to schools, community, businesses, Superintendent of Schools, Board of Education, and other stakeholders.
• Work collaboratively with all stakeholders.
• Follow established procedures to ensure assigned areas are safe.
• Maintain confidentiality.
• Attend work and arrive to work on time.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Education or related field.
• Valid State of Tennessee teaching certificate with appropriate endorsement.
• Or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job.

Skills

• Demonstrates excellent verbal and written communication skills to deal effectively with students, educators, parents, and community members.
• Ability to foster a safe, inclusive, and positive learning environment.
• Ability to work collaboratively with other educators and staff to support student learning.
• Understanding of various instructional strategies to address different learning styles and needs.
• Knowledge of formative and summative assessment methods to evaluate student progress.
• Capability to identify issues and implement appropriate solutions to enhance student outcomes.

Pay

Salary is based on a combination of relevant education and experience. This position may be eligible for an increase in total compensation. The Differentiated Compensation Plan applies to designated schools and hard-to-staff positions. More details here.