About Sue

A retired high school English teacher, Sue Leamy Kies lives in her hometown of Platteville, Wisconsin with her husband, border collie mix, and backyard chickens. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, growing flowers, kayaking and walking in nature, cooking and eating good food, listening to music, and reading and writing stories.

Before teaching, she and her husband and ran a dairy and hog farm while raising five children. She returned to college at the age of 36 and graduated in 1991 as valedictorian from the University of Wisconsin Platteville. Her degree in English education and minor in journalism allowed her 27 years in the classroom at her alma mater, Platteville High School. In 2000, she earned her master’s degree in education, also from UW-P.

Along with teaching basic English courses, Sue taught Creative Writing, Media Literacy, and Advanced Placement Language and Composition. During that time, she began recording her classroom stories and spent the last four years compiling them into My Homecoming Dance: Reflections on Teaching in Wisconsin. This is her first full-length book, though over she has also published poetry, essays, movie reviews, and short stories. Her work has appeared in regional magazines and newspapers, including The Illinois English Bulletin, The Voice of the River Valley, The Wisconsin Academy Review, Julien’s Journal, The Telegraph Herald and The Wisconsin State Journal. Also, in 2021 CADA (Center for Applied Drama and Autism) chose Sue's play Back about a disabled veteran to be performed for their One-Act Play Festival. Additionally, she has written two children’s books to support community resources. The Platteville Library Foundation published Saving Sadie in recognition of the donors for the new library that opened in 2017. Sassy’s Vacation was published by the Platteville Community Arboretum in 2022 to promote literacy and nature education on the Rountree Branch Trail.

Make sure to check out My Homecoming Dance: Reflections on Teaching in Wisconsin, her humorous, heartfelt reflections on going back to teach at Platteville High School. You've seen in the news that the serious shortage of teachers in Wisconsin and throughout the country is dire. Sue asks that you please thank a teacher, donate time or money to a school, and support learning in any way you can.

“Education's purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.” ---Malcolm Forbes