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NEDERLAND — For Stacé Voivedich and Charlotte Wallace, Nederland High School is like one big family. 

From their coworkers to the coaches, students to the fans and more, NHS is one big family and one that will be greatly missed by the two women as they prepare to move into retirement. 

Voivedich, who has worked for the Nederland Independent School District for 32 years, and Wallace, who has worked for the district 35 years, are both proud Nederland High School graduates. They worked at Central Middle School in different roles before their careers took them to the high school more than two decades ago; Voivedich as the principal’s secretary and Wallace as the athletic secretary. 

The two women have worked together closely through the years developing a special bond and on a recent weekday, clad in matching lavender shirts with “And so the retirement adventure begins” they even finished each other’s sentences.

As athletic secretary Wallace takes care of the entire department, all sports both boys and girls, which includes paperwork, travel expenses, expense reports, budgets, and purchase orders to name a few of her duties.

Sports is king in Southeast Texas and Nederland is no exception. Currently there are approximately 800 season ticket holders for high school football accounting for about 3,200 seats. 

Wallace started at the high school under former Coach Larry Newman followed by Coach Monte Barrow and now Coach Scott Rich.

Voivedich was hired for the high school by Principal Steve Fleming and she has worked for six principals in total, she said. Her job duties have her dealing with many people. 

“Our faculty total is right at about 160 but that includes the coaches too, the teachers and the para-professionals and administrators too,” Voivedich said. “And my day is pretty much like Charlotte’s. There’s never a dull moment, and you don’t finish one job without another one starting. So I sometimes have three different jobs going on in my day.”

Wallace chimed in to add “there’s never an end” and “there’s never a clear desk.”

The women reminisced of their time at NHS with smiles and some tears.

For Wallace, the greatest thing about NHS is the tradition. 

“Tradition is big to me,” Wallace said. (Some may say) “Let’s change this. Well, it’s always been this way. We don’t want to change it.”

There is a lot the women will miss when they depart the school- coworkers, friends and more. Voivedich, who was a Westernaire when she was in high school, is going to miss the pep rallies. 

“The pep rallies are one of my favorite things because they have a special place in the heart,” Voivedich said. “I’ve got to watch my Westernairs and the pep rallies, and then working with Charlotte and athletics. We’ve worked soccer games in the cold, and anytime she needed me to help.”

Wallace, a 1976 NHS graduate, and Voivedich, a 1975 NHS graduate, are ready for retirement where there will be some travel and working in the yard in their futures. 

As if tapping into each other’s thoughts, Wallace spoke of their feelings.

“I’ll miss the people and the relationships. It’s hard to walk away,” Wallace said.