Northwest ISD Secondary Teacher of the Year named finalist for regional award

Education Service Center Region 11 has named Eaton High School aviation teacher Jeff Neaves one of five finalists for the 2026 Region 11 Secondary Teacher of the Year Award, selected from educators representing 76 school districts across North Texas.

Each district in the Region 11 area may nominate one elementary and one secondary educator for regional consideration, and nominees submit essays among other requirements, ultimately highlighting their expertise, leadership and impact both inside and outside the classroom. During the 2025-2026 school year, Mr. Neaves was named Eaton High School’s Exemplar Educator then earned Northwest ISD’s Secondary Teacher of the Year honor.

In a speech to Northwest ISD educators in early August, Mr. Neaves shared his commitment to providing meaningful, real-world learning experiences while helping students build confidence, discover their purpose and pursue careers they are passionate about.

“I strive each year as a teacher to leave a legacy in my classroom,” he said. “I have created legacies as a teacher that last beyond my years of teaching in my classroom. And while the accomplishments that our students have created within their lives matter, perhaps more importantly is the fact that they know that someone cared for them in the classroom and in their lives.”

Mr. Neaves has also led an award-winning drone program and submitted a unique course pilot recommendation to the Texas Education Agency. He is the first Northwest ISD teacher to become a Region 11 Secondary Teacher of the Year finalist since Lisa Day received the regional honor in 2021.