After over 30 years at Townsend Harris High School, Payroll Secretary Anna Pace has retired. 

Ms. Pace began her career at Flushing High School, joining THHS in 1995 as the Pupil Accounting Secretary before taking on the role of Payroll Secretary in 2006. Her position has involved responsibilities in handling paychecks for staff, attendance records, staff absences, retirement paperwork, and class coverages.

Now retired, Ms. Pace shared that the people were why she stayed at THHS all this time. “The people make the school,” she said. “When I came here, I loved it here. The people, the kids, the building. When you’ve worked at other places and you come to a place like Townsend, you realize you’ve hit the jackpot.”

“Everything is fond. We’ve always celebrated happy times, [and] we always made time,” she said, recounting the moments she shared with the staff. “It was just half an hour sometimes, but we always managed to celebrate one another.”

Those that spoke to The Classic described Ms. Pace as someone who was caring and checked in often.

“People depend on her. She’s very, very diligent about her work, and she’s very good at it,” said Secretary to the Assistant Principal of Organization Pamela Del Vecchio, who has worked with Ms. Pace for more than two decades on organizing class coverages and teacher attendance.

“I think the way she talks to people really makes you feel like a family, [and] part of a community,” said School Aide Libby Lushing, who has been a colleague of Ms. Pace for nine years. “She glues everybody together,” Ms. Lushing said.

“She’s always, always willing to help you out,” said Attendance Coordinator Monica Albarracin. “She’s an amazing person, not only as a coworker, but as a friend.” Ms. Monica recalled memories of her first days working in the main office, where Ms. Pace helped to calm her nerves. She said, “It was so hard for me. I couldn’t remember the names of the teachers and everything, and she told me, ‘Don’t worry, Monica. We will help you.’”

School Aide Antonella Cinquemani, who has been with Ms. Pace at THHS for the last 20 years, said, “I have so many memories with her. We always had a lot of good times.” She described bonding over their shared interests, such as talking about recipes and taking care of their families.

Recalling her most joyful moments at THHS, Ms. Pace described a number of memories, from “the maternity leaves, because it was always a happy time,” to “just being with the staff, greeting everybody at the time clock in the morning.”

“Every morning, as soon as you walk in here, she’s there with a huge smile,” said Ms. Monica, describing Ms. Pace’s daily greetings and check-ins with the staff. “I am going to miss her every single day.”

Similarly Ms. Pace said that she will miss “the people” the most as she leaves THHS. “What happens when you’ve been in a place so long is that [your coworkers] become your family.”

Though she does not yet have plans set in stone as she steps into retirement, she is looking forward to having more time to spend with her mother, daughter, and grandchildren.