Welcome to my classroom page!

My name is Jimmy Yates and I am currently teaching 5th grade ELA (Reading, Writing, & Language Arts).  I was born in Virginia but grew up and went to school in the Bedford County area.  My wife is a teacher at Cascade High School and together we have four children.  I attend Shelbyville Mills Baptist Church and am currently teaching 5th grade Sunday School.  I have worked with many of the programs with the children at the church.  My wife and I try to stay as active as our busy lives allow.  We enjoy reading and going on hikes in the woods or to visit waterfalls.  We also enjoy camping and going on long walks.

For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to be a teacher but the opportunity never was right for me to go to school to get a degree in education.  I have worked with children for several years in church doing Vacation Bible Schools, teaching Sunday School, working in AWANA, and mission projects both local and foreign.  I have traveled to Africa twice on mission trips where I worked in children's and men's ministries.

After high school, I began working at Sanford in Shelbyville and worked there for 23 years.  I held several positions at Sanford starting as a Machine Operator and then finishing my career as a Production Planner and Materials Manager.  I finished my Management and Human Relations degree at Trevecca Nazarene University in 2009 and then enrolled again and received my Masters of Arts in Education for K-6 in 2011.  After student teaching at Community Elementary, a position became available for which I applied and began my teaching career in January of 2012.

I really enjoy teaching and try to run an organized and exciting classroom where students can laugh and learn.  I am looking forward to many, many years of teaching at Community Elementary School.