Long time SVEC educator dies

Parents, coworkers and students were saddened when longtime Sky Valley Education Center educator Christine Kies, 40, died Jan. 21.

Kies had been a contract teacher at the Sky Valley Education Center for nine years, where she got to know hundreds of students and their families.

“She taught a variety of classes, and she helped with our excursions, and helped with our School To Go program,” said Karen Rosencranz, director of SVEC. “Chris was the kind of person who, if someone needed to teach a class, she would figure it out.”

Following the recent food trend of gourmet cupcakes, Kies started teaching kids how to make and decorate cupcakes and cake pops.

“They were amazing,” said Rosencranz. “They looked like the ones you see in the mall or in books. I remember last year or the year before, the school board visited and she and her students made caramel macchiato cupcakes in mini Starbucks cups, and they looked and tasted like caramel macchiatos.”

Of the four daughters Kies had with Patrick, her husband of 23 years, two are still enrolled at SVEC.

Among Kies’ many interests were family trips, crafts, and most of all, her faith.

There was a memorial for Kies on Saturday.