Nine educators named Iowa Regional Teachers of the Year
DES MOINES -- The Iowa Department of Education today named nine teachers from across the state as the 2026 Iowa Regional Teachers of the Year. Representing Iowa’s nine education regions, each teacher was selected for exemplary instructional practices and their significant contributions to K-12 education in Iowa.
The 2026 Iowa Regional Teachers of the Year are Allison Pargeon, Marissa Moore, Tony Onesto, Kelly Myers, Gregory Barord, Jennifer Ries, Dawn Rheingans, Stephanie Pritts and Kristi Mentink.
“We are proud to recognize nine outstanding educators from all corners of the state in our second-ever Iowa Regional Teachers of the Year designation," said Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow. “Like their colleagues across Iowa, these exceptional teachers partner with families to provide all learners with what they need to meet high expectations and realize their incredible potential. The Department, alongside each school community and education region, thanks and congratulates Iowa’s 2026 Regional Teachers of the Year for their expertise, dedication and care, putting students at the center of all they do.”
Educators, administrators, students, families and other stakeholders submitted nominations for the Iowa Regional Teachers of the Year designation. In partnership with teachers and education leaders across Iowa, nine teachers were selected, representing a variety of schools, grade levels, subjects, endorsements, and pathways to the teaching profession, with expertise spanning English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Special Education, English Language Learners, World Languages, Fine Arts, Marine Biology and more. Each of these outstanding teachers will now advance as a finalist for the 2026 Iowa Teacher of the Year award, to be announced later this month.
Established in 1958, the prestigious Teacher of the Year award honors an Iowa teacher who advances student learning through evidence-based instruction, empowers students with multiple pathways to postsecondary success, learns from and invests in fellow educators and serves students in partnership with families.
Last year, Melanie Bloom, an agriculture educator from Sioux Central Community School District and 2025 Prairie Lakes Regional Teacher of the Year, was named the 2025 Iowa Teacher of the Year. The Iowa Teacher of the Year serves as an ambassador for the Iowa Department of Education and a liaison for educators across the state.
Information on the achievements of each of the nine 2026 Iowa Teachers of the Year is included below:
Central Rivers Regional Teacher of the Year
Allison Pargeon, Montezuma Community School District
Pargeon, a mathematics and computer science teacher at Montezuma Junior High and High School, has 26 years of experience engaging students in upper-level courses, including algebra, calculus, statistics and computer science. She has a bachelor’s degree in mathematics education and applied computer science from William Penn University and a master’s degree in mathematics with a secondary teaching emphasis from the University of Northern Iowa. Pargeon also teaches college-level math and statistics and instructs pre-service teachers in algebra and geometry to prepare them to teach in K-8 classrooms. She is a former recipient of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching award and serves the district beyond the classroom as a grant writer, computer science career development liaison, National Honor Society sponsor and cheer coach. Pargeon believes that for students to be truly engaged, they must have fun and see how what they are learning is relevant to their lives.
Grant Wood Regional Teacher of the Year
Marissa Moore, Clear Creek-Amana Community School District
Moore, an English language arts teacher at Clear Creek-Amana High School, has a decade of experience creating a classroom of critical thinkers and engaged learners. She has a bachelor’s degree from Duquesne University and a master’s degree in education in study areas of English language arts and special education from the University of Pittsburgh. Moore currently teaches high school English, including AP language and composition and also has experience as a special education teacher in Westminster, Colorado. She enjoys working closely with her students, including in her role as student council advisor and advisor for the Clear Creek-Amana school newspaper, which was selected as a top 15 news team finalist by the Iowa High School Press Association last spring. She serves on numerous leadership teams within the district, and supports the individual learning needs of her learners, empowering them to take responsibility for their own learning.
Great Prairie Regional Teacher of the Year
Tony Onesto, Burlington Community School District
Onesto, an art teacher at Burlington High School, is a veteran teacher with 29 years of experience helping and supporting emerging artists explore their talents. He has a bachelor’s degree in art education from Morningside University, and master’s degrees in education and educational leadership from Viterbo University. Onesto is a former Iowa Middle School Art Educator of the Year and also leads the Allied Creators Studio to support young artists. Over the last three years, his students in his AP art classes have earned higher scores than the state and national averages. He has presented at state and national art education conferences, builds strong community partnerships and ensures that every student has the support and accommodations they need to succeed. In Onesto’s classroom, students can nurture their imagination and express their creativity with confidence.
Green Hills Regional Teacher of the Year
Kelly Myers, Murray Community School District and Homegrown Christian Learning Center
Having recently transitioned from Murray Community School District, Myers is currently a K-8 math and science teacher at Homegrown Christian Learning Center in Osceola. She has over 18 years of teaching experience also spanning Des Moines Public Schools, Interstate 35 Community School District and Clark Community School District, with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education, general science from York College in Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in science education from Northeastern State University. Having served as dean of students, new teacher mentor, and model teacher, among other leadership roles, Myers impactfully contributes to the growth and success of her fellow educators. She is a state and national leader in STEM instructional innovation, including certification through the NASA Endeavor STEM program. Myers is an advocate for each of her students and creates a classroom community where students feel valued, confident and empowered to take risks in their learning.
Heartland Regional Teacher of the Year
Gregory Barord, Des Moines Public Schools
Barord, a marine biology teacher at Des Moines Public Schools’ Central Campus, is a teacher with 14 years of experience in the field. He has a bachelor’s degree in marine biology from Texas A&M University, and a master’s degree and doctorate degree in biology, both from City University of New York. He regularly integrates classroom instruction in his marine biology program with hands-on applications at the district, community, national and world levels, which strengthens student engagement and allows for students to explore and share their experiences more broadly. Barord serves on numerous leadership teams within the district, including as an instructional leader and new teacher mentor, teaches college-level courses, serves as an expert advisor, speaker and contributor to numerous scientific advisory groups and conferences. Barold believes in making science accessible and engaging through hands-on, experiential learning and encourages students to challenge themselves, through field study expeditions and applying for prestigious youth ambassador programs.
Keystone Regional Teacher of the Year
Jen Ries, Maquoketa Valley Community School District
Ries, a Spanish teacher at Maquoketa Valley High School in Delhi, has 16 years of experience. She has a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and secondary education from Central College as well as a master’s degree in education and an English language learner endorsement, both from Morningside University. Ries is a bilingual curriculum developer and has established the Iowa State Seal of Biliteracy and the Global Seal of Biliteracy for Maquoketa Valley students, with an impressive 60% success rate for 11th and 12th graders. She serves as a leader within the district, including as a new teacher mentor and team building coordinator. She has led numerous student learning groups on international trips to Mexico, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, and just this July, to Spain. She believes that learning is most profound when it is personally relevant and when students are active participants in constructing their own understanding.
Mississippi Bend Regional Teacher of the Year
Dawn Rheingans, North Scott Community School District
Rheinigans, a 7th grade science teacher at North Scott Community School District, has 29 years of experience turning complex topics into approachable experiences that spark imagination. She has a bachelor’s degree in education from Drake University and a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Illinois at Springfield. She is committed to professional growth and has served for many years as a teacher leader on the building leadership team. In these roles, she has developed a data-driven approach to inform her instruction and develop timely interventions, ensuring all students receive the support they need to be successful. In addition, she also serves as a junior high school volleyball coach and a high school track coach. Rheingans believes that science is a process of discovery, not a collection of facts. She emphasizes the importance of collaborative learning and hands-on exploration to make science both accessible and exciting.
Northwest Regional Teacher of the Year
Stephanie Pritts, Sheldon Community School District
Pritts, an instructional coach at Sheldon Community School District, is a 23-year educator having primarily taught first and third grades. She has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Buena Vista University and a master’s degree in general education from Briar Cliff University. She leads the district’s new teacher mentor program and facilitates the teacher leadership team to best support all learners. Pritts has organized and facilitated a literacy conference for the school district aligned to the Science of Reading and supports the implementation of high-quality instructional materials and strong multi-tiered systems of support for students. She builds strong partnerships with families, hosting literacy nights to help reinforce at home what their children are learning at school. Pritts is committed to supporting both student achievement and teacher development, analyzing student data, implementing high-impact strategies and ensuring instructional effectiveness.
Prairie Lakes Regional Teacher of the Year
Kristi Mentink, Harris-Lake Park Community School District
Mentink, a kindergarten teacher at Harris-Lake Park Elementary School, has 28 years of experience. She has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Dana College and was selected to serve on the district’s leadership team and as a professional learning community lead due to her proactive approach to problem solving and commitment to improving teaching strategies that have the greatest impact on student outcomes. Mentink actively collaborates with her fellow educators, seeks professional development opportunities to enhance her teaching and generously shares her experience with new teachers. She has participated in the Iowa STEM Externship Program and continues to connect her classroom instruction to real-world experiences so young students can see how the literacy and math concepts they learn in the classroom can be used in everyday situations.
More information about the Regional Teachers of the Year and the Iowa Teacher of the Year process is available on the Department’s website. Headshots of each the Iowa Regional Teachers of the Year are available on the Department’s Flickr gallery.
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