Ms. Mace, a Hastings High School Alum, has been working in the district for almost 30 years. Starting in Hillside, she began working at Hastings High School in September 2022 and has been in the library ever since. Coming in the near future, Ms. Mace will be retiring from her lengthy stay here at HHS. Being a Hastings student for all 13 years of her education, Ms. Mace has spent her childhood in the community and has built long-lasting bonds with the people encountered on the way. I asked Ms. Mace a series of questions regarding her retirement from HHS.
Liya Fried (LF): When you leave HHS, what do you think you will miss the most?
Nancy Mace (NM): I will miss connecting with students when I retire. Many of the students I see every day I have known since they were in kindergarten. My colleagues are really important to me, and I will miss seeing them every day. Especially Ms. Grassia!
LF: What have you enjoyed while working at Hastings High School?
NM: I was working at Hillside for many years, so being back at HHS for the last several years has allowed me to see how much students have grown. It’s really enjoyable to see the types of people they’ve grown into, and how some haven’t really changed at all since I met them at Hillside all those years ago.
LF: What do you value by being a part of the community here at HHS?
NM: Working in the library space has allowed me to get to know students who use the space regularly. I love being able to support their needs, and also get to watch how they manage their academic life. Having “regulars” who have found community here in the library space makes my days so much better.
There is no doubt that the Hastings community will miss Ms. Mace as well as her enthusiastic energy, and will continue to recognize the lasting impact she has had on it.
