The Iowa Department of Education named nine teachers from across the state as the 2026 Iowa Regional Teachers of the Year, and three are from our region.
According to a release from the Iowa Department of Education:
Representing Iowa’s nine education regions, each teacher was selected for exemplary instructional practices and their significant contributions to K-12 education in Iowa.
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.
The 2026 local Iowa Regional Teachers of the Year are Tony Onesto (Burlington Community School District), Dawn Rheingans (North Scott Community School District) and Jennifer Ries (Maquoketa Valley Community School District).
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.
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.
Jennifer 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.
“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,” Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow said. “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. Other statewide nominations include Allison Pargeon, Marissa Moore, Kelly Myers, Gregory Barord, Stephanie Pritts and Kristi Mentink. Each of these teachers will now advance as a finalist for the 2026 Iowa Teacher of the Year award, to be announced later this month.