How likely would it be to get hired at an upper elementary level after working in middle school for a couple of years?

Hello all, sorry in advance for the long post but I really need the advice of people who know what this is like.

For context, I have my Masters in Special Education for k-12 and General education for Grades 1-6. I graduated in September of 2025 (my coursework was finished in July 2025). I have not taken/passed my cert exams yet.

Last year, I finished my degree and got my masters, but I haven’t taken most of my exams yet, so I am not officially certified yet. In August of 2025, I got a last-minute job offer at a private school to teach grades 6-8, with daily pull-outs for third and forth grade (it was a small school and a bunch of grades were in the same building). So I do have experience being a lead teacher, but mostly with middle schoolers. My original goal was to complete my cert exams (for elementary) during that year, and get some lead teaching experience under my belt. Well, after a very rough year where my mental and physical health took a nosedive, and adjusting to the new job with weird admin, my exams fell to the back burner, however I have picked back up with studying and my exam schedule this summer (I’ve taken the EAS and aim to take the SWD at the end of July). So I am still not fully certified.

Unfortunately, the school I was working with shut down their upper school due to low enrollment. Fortunately, my principal put in a good word for me at a nearby private school, and they offered me a job working with their 7th and 8th Grade. I’ve accepted the job offer verbally and met with the principal, but have not signed a formal contract yet. The schedule they are offering me would actually be very supportive of my studying schedule (I would be teaching mostly in the afternoons and every other Friday).

My concern is this- my goal is to eventually work in the public school systems at the ELEMENTARY level (ideally 4-6 grade), as that is what my degree is in and I honestly don’t think I have it in me mentally, emotionally, and even financially to go through another degree. And I do like and am confident in my teaching abilities with that age group. Once I am certified, those are the jobs that I would be applying for/want. Will schools automatically turn me away because my teaching experience so far has been with middle school? I am worried that after working with the older kids for a couple of years that they won’t even consider me in the future for elementary. Am I worrying for nothing?