Board President

Douglas Gerwick is in his second term as a Grove City Area School District board member.  He assumed office in December 2019.

Educated in the Allegheny-Clarion Valley School District, Mr. Gerwick earned a BA in History from Clarion University of PA, his JD at Duquesne University School of Law, and certifications in Labor Arbitration and Labor Mediation from Cornell University Scheinman Institute.

“I first became interested in public service during my years at Clarion University. During which time I served as a school director at A-C Valley from December 1987 to December 1990. After law school, I was appointed to a vacancy as a magisterial district judge in Emlenton and was elected that same year to a first of three terms. I worked closely with our local school districts on student issues such as truancy, alcohol and tobacco abuse. I enjoyed going into the classrooms and sharing information on the legal system with students. Students that had been cited for alcohol related issues were made to read “Izzy Willy Nilly” by Cynthia Voight. I believe that my experience as a school director and magisterial district judge will help me serve our district. I wish to help our students achieve their fullest potential while ensuring that we also stay aware of the needs of the taxpayers.”

Mr. Gerwick’s wife is Michelle, and they have two sons, both graduates of Grove City Area School District. 

Mr. Gerwick’s current term on the Board will expire in December 2027. 

Mr. Gerwick is the chair of the Policy and Legislative Affairs Committee.

Board Vice President

Board Vice President Ryan Thomas is in his second term as a Grove City Area School District board member.  He assumed office in December 2019.

Educated in the Grove City Area School District, Mr. Thomas earned a B.S. in Entrepreneurship from Grove City College.

 “I’ve grown up in Grove City and lived here my whole life.  I just want to do my part to give back to the community I love by volunteering my time on our school board”.

“I have been married to my wife, Loni, for 8 years.  We have a son, Declan who is 4 years old and a daughter, Charlotte, who is 2.”

Mr. Thomas’s current term on the Board will expire in December 2027.

Mr. Thomas is the chair of the Facilities and School Safety Committee. 

Randy Arnold is in his first term as a Grove City Area School District board member.  He assumed office in December 2021.

Educated in the North Rome Christian School, Rome, PA and earned a BSME in Mechanical Engineering from Grove City College.

 “I have watched and admired the GCASD board and administration for many years and have wanted to be able to have the opportunity to serve the district.  I feel that the board members who have been most helpful to the mission of education have been those that are willing to put the work into evaluating the policy and operations, and I am expecting to be heavily invested in the topics at hand to provide strategic direction.  My goal in serving is to ensure that the teachers and staff have the support and backing that they need to meet the mission of the district.  As a cheerleader for the teachers and staff of the district, my hope is that they find me an advocate for the success of the district.”

Mr. Arnold’s wife is Joy, and he has two children.

Mr. Arnold’s current term on the Board will expire in December 2025.

Mr. Arnold is the chair of the Student Affairs and Activities Committee.  He is also a member of the Facilities and School Safety and the Policy and Legislative Affairs Committees.

Dr. Erik Bardy is in his first term as a Grove City Area School District board member.  He assumed office in December 2023.

Dr. Bardy grew up and was educated in Hyde Park NY north of New York City.  He earned his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the State University of New York at Buffalo with a portion of his graduate work done in France.

“I have been living in Grove City since 2006 when I started as a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Grove City College.  As a father with a daughter in the Grove City Area School District, I have been pleased with the quality of educators she has had.  I want to serve as best I can, working with the other board members and the community, to support the district's mission of educating our children.”

Dr. Bardy and his wife, Patti, have one daughter in the Grove City Area School System.

Dr. Bardy’s current term on the Board will expire in December 2027.

Dr. Bardy is a member of the Facilities and School Safety Committee. 

Karen Hazy Bishop is in her first term as a Grove City Area School District board member.  She assumes office in December 2023.

Educated in Grove City Area School District, Ms. Hazy Bishop earned a BA in Christian Thought from Grove City College, Licensing and Ordination from the Christian and Missionary Alliance.

“As a life-long resident of Grove City, I look forward to being able to serve our community in this capacity.  My previous experience as a youth pastor, and my current role as the Director of Youth and Family Services at the YMCA overseeing the after-school program gives me a unique perspective into the lives of students and their families within our district.  It is my desire to be an advocate for these students as well as others in the Grove City area, as we equip all learners for successful futures.”

Mrs. Hazy Bishop and her husband, Dan, have two daughters who are currently attending middle school.

Mrs. Hazy Bishop’s current term on the Board will expire in December 2027. 

Mrs. Hazy Bishop is a member of the Student Affairs and Activities and the Policy and Legislative Affairs Committees.

Augie, as he is best known by his family and friends, was appointed to the Grove City Area School Board in December of 2020.

He is an alumnus of Waynesburg University (Bachelors of Science - 1998) and Princeton Theological Seminary (Masters of Divinity - 2001). Augie is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and has served as the pastor of Lebanon Presbyterian Church in Mercer, Pa. for the past 10 years. In addition to his vocational ministry, Augie also enjoys spending time with his family and friends, coaching baseball, listening to music, landscaping and fly fishing.

Mr. Hurst’s wife is, Gretchen and he has two teenage children, Autumn and Grayden. 

Mr. Hurst’s current term on the Board will expire in December 2025.

Mr. Hurst is the chair of the Personnel Committee.

Mr. Hurst is a member of the Educational Services Committee.

Dr. Constance Nichols is in her third term as a Grove City Area School District board member.  She assumed office in October 2017. 

Educated in the North Allegheny School District, Dr. Nichols earned a B.S. in Elementary Education from Grove City College, a M.S. in Reading and Language Arts from Duquesne University and a Doctorate in Instruction of Learning from the University of Pittsburgh. 

"It is a great honor to serve alongside my fellow school directors on the Grove City Area School Board as a member of the board, and the President for 2018.  I have devoted my professional life to education across private and public sectors for twenty-five years."

"I first became aware of the Grove City Area School District as a student of Grove City College studying education, and student taught at Hillview Elementary.  After graduating from Grove City College, I worked in both private and public schools as a teacher and reading specialist.  While working I continued my education pursuing advanced degrees in areas related to literacy cognition and learning.  I joined the faculty of Grove City College in 2001.  At Grove City College I have served as a faculty member and Chair of the Education Department.  My professional highlights have included being honored as the ODK professor of the year at GCC and being appointed by Gov. Tom Corbett as the sole faculty representative in Pennsylvania on the Governor's Commission for Accessibility and Affordability in Education.  I am active in several professional and community organizations including the Pennsylvania Association of Colleges of Teacher Educators, the HOPE Center for Arts and Technology, and the Synergy Community Foundation."

"Serving on the board here at Grove City Area School District is a special honor.  It is my hope that through collaborative leadership and thoughtful deliberations we can serve all of our children and families with distinction, and ensure an excellent education for the children of our community now and in the future."

Dr. Nichols and her husband, Steve, have three children who attend Grove City Area Schools, twin boys who attend the high school, and a daughter at the middle school.

Dr. Nichols' current term on the Board will expire in December 2027.

Dr. Nichols is the chair of the Education Services Committee.

Dr. Nichols is a member of the Personnel Committee.

As a member of the GCASD School Board Dr. Nichols has taken advantage of online training offered through the Pennsylvania School Boards Association (www.PSBA.org).  Her completed PSBA training areas may be viewed here:  

https://backpack.psba.org/recipient/13ed553a-9a97-11e8-95e9-005056af24b7/b818cb60-bc39-11e8-ab24-2a6f11684a3e

In October 2018 Dr. Nichols attended the PSBA Leadership Conference as a representative of the board.  Her notes and resources gathered while at the conference can be found here: 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yHphn6nJQd1fghhUTl0baBg9yHH5H_2UbG8MoWhwCyA/edit?usp=sharing

Dr. Jeffrey Tedford is in his first term as a Grove City Area School District board member.  He assumed office in December 2021.

Education in the Palmyra Area School District, Dr. Tedford earned a B.M. in Music Education from Grove City College, a MM in Conducting from Carnegie Mellon University, and a D.M.A. in Music Education from Shenandoah Conservatory.

“As a parent of three children currently in the school district, I am excited to contribute to our community.  With over 20 years of experience as an educator at the secondary and higher education levels, I am passionate about the growth, safety, and success of our students as well as the educational opportunities we provide them. I am eager to listen to and learn from my colleagues on the Board.  I also look forward to listening to our community as we strive for continued excellence within the school district.”

Dr. Tedford and his wife, Sasha, have three children.  Two currently attend Hillview Elementary School and one future kindergartener.

Dr. Tedford’s current term on the Board will expire in December 2025.

Dr. Tedford is the chair of the Finance Committee.

Dr. Tedford is a member of the Educational Services and Personnel Committees. 

Board Member Patty Wilson is in her second term as a Grove City Area School District board member.  She assumed office in December 2016.

Educated in the Grove City Area School District, Ms. Wilson earned a B.A. in Elementary Education from Grove City College, M.S. of Education in School Counseling from Youngstown State University and a M.A. of Education as a Reading Specialist from Slippery Rock University.

Ms. Wilson has 27 years of experience working in the educational system.  She is a retired school counselor from the Grove City Area School District. 

"Having worked in public education for 27 years I am convinced that is vital to a thriving democracy.  Public education does not get to pick and choose who comes through the classroom doors.  Where else do you from different socioeconomic, religious and ethnic backgrounds have such an opportunity work and play together?"

"As a board member, I promise to support sound, research based, educational opportunities for all students and to be a wise steward of our taxpayers' dollars.  All of my decisions will be based on my convicition that a strong public school has a moral imperative to, first and foremost, provide the very best education our students deserve."

"I am thankful that I have been given this opportunity to give back to the community I so love."

"As a member of the community, I am proud of the education my son and I received from this District."

Ms. Wilson's current term on the Board will expire in December 2025.

Ms. Wilson is a member of the Student Affairs and Activities, Educational Services and Personnel Committees.