About Us

Located in Board of Education District 6 and KCS Region 2, Hardin Valley Elementary School first opened its doors in August 2000.

We are proud of our school’s achievements, growth, and innovative programs. While preparing all students for the future, we remain deeply connected to the rich history of Hardin Valley. As custodians of the original Hardin Valley School bell, we hold a cherished piece of our community's past. The bell comes from the old school, built in 1931 at the corner of Hardin Valley Road and Marietta Church Road, and survived a fire that destroyed the building on April 14, 1978. Today, the bell stands as a tangible link to our history and reminder that at Hardin Valley, we honor tradition while looking ahead to the future.

Front of Hardin Valley Elementary school

School Administrators

Executive Principal

David Claxton

Mr. Claxton joined Knox County Schools in 1997 as an intern at Farragut High School and then as a teacher at Vine Middle School. He also taught at Powell High School and South-Doyle High School where he also served as Social Studies Department Chair, assistant baseball and girls' basketball coach, and a TAP mentor teacher. He began his career in administration in 2012 when he was named an assistant principal at West Valley Middle School. He served as interim principal at West Valley Middle beginning in 2015 before being named principal of West Valley Middle in 2016, where he served as principal until 2023. He served as principal of Montgomery Ridge Intermediate School in Maryville (grades 4-7) from 2023-2025.

Mr. Claxton holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography and a master's degree in Education, both from the University of Tennessee, as well as an Educational Specialist degree in Leadership from Lincoln Memorial University. He is currently a doctoral student in Educational Leadership at The University of The Cumberlands.

Email mr. claxton

Assistant Principal (Grades - K, 1st, 4th)

Heather Records

Mrs. Records is an experienced educator and school leader with nearly 20 years in various educational roles. She began her teaching career in 1996 in South Carolina before relocating to Knoxville, where she taught 4th and 5th grades at Farragut Intermediate. She later served as an instructional coach at Beaumont Magnet Academy. Her journey into administration began as Assistant Principal at Bonny Kate Elementary, and in 2023, she joined Hardin Valley Elementary as an Assistant Principal.

Mrs. Records holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science with a minor in Accounting, as well as a master's degree in Education and an Educational Specialist degree in Leadership.

Email mrs. records

Assistant Principal (Grades - 2nd, 3rd, 5th)

Dr. Karen Sharpe

Dr. Sharpe started in 1996 with Knox County Schools as a classroom teacher at Sarah Moore Greene Magnet Academy. During her tenure as a general education teacher, she also taught at Pond Gap Elementary, where she became a TAP master teacher. Dr. Sharpe also served as a TAP master teacher at West View Elementary before transitioning to a district Lead Teacher position with TEAM in the Knox County middle schools. In 2015, Dr. Sharpe returned to Sarah Moore Greene Magnet as an Assistant Principal before joining Hardin Valley Elementary in 2019 as an Assistant Principal.

Dr. Sharpe holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Teacher Education from Eastern Connecticut State College, a Masters’ degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, an Educational Specialist degree in Educational Leadership and Supervision from Lincoln Memorial University, and a Doctor of Education degree in Leadership and Supervision from Lincoln Memorial University.

email dr. Sharpe

Staff Directory

Our staff directory provides a comprehensive and easily accessible listing of school and district personnel. Searches can be made by name, job title, or facility location.

Search Directory

Calendar

Hardin Valley Elementary follows an academic calendar approved by the Board of Education that identifies the first and last day of school; student and teacher in-service days; early release days; school holidays; and grading periods.

These calendars are detailed by school year.

See Calendar

Logo Image

Logo Title

In This Section