Meet Nick Dyson, GCS’ new business administrator

Following a long and extensive search, Groton Central School (GCS) recently welcomed Nick Dyson to the seat of school business administrator, and Dyson could not be more pleased.

Having spent the past 13 years in the business industry, Dyson, his wife, Allie, and their three children recently moved back to the area where Nick and Allie first met and dated all through high school at Tioga Central (TC).

“I always loved being in school and always had a drive to do well in it,” Nick said. “I wanted to be involved with schools in some way and wanted to be a math teacher.”

Nick graduated from TC in 2003 and was certainly involved in numerous ways while there. He played baseball, basketball and volleyball and was the quarterback for TC’s varsity football team. In fact, he was named Male Athlete of the Year for both TC and Tioga County in his senior year.

“I was also the only athlete who was a member of three teams — football, basketball and baseball — that all won the IAC championships that year,” Nick said.

Nick was vice president of his senior class and a member of the National Honor Society, attended Boys’ State, played saxophone in the school and marching bands and was the treasurer for Varsity Club, which he explained was a student club that assisted the athletic booster club at TC.

Being a part of rural Groton fits Nick quite well because he was also the Tioga County Dairy Prince two years in a row and was the only male member of the dairy court.

Nick first met Allie on his grandfather, George Nichols’, school bus. Nick said he and his brother Abe stayed with his grandparents a couple of times a week because his parents both worked multiple jobs to make ends meet in their family.

“My brother, Jacob, was born with cerebral palsy,” Nick said. “And after that, my mom was a stay-at-home mom.”

Nick attended Hobart William Smith College after high school, where he played wide receiver on its football team and earned his bachelor’s in visual arts with an art major in 2007. He then graduated from Elmira College with his master’s degree in education in 2009.

That was a busy time for Nick because he was actually teaching art full time at TC for the two years he was working on his master’s.

In the meantime, Allie had attended Keuka College when Nick was at Hobart but then transferred to Elmira when Nick went there and earned her bachelor’s in education. They were married in May 2009.

Both Nick and Allie lost their jobs in education that fall due to New York state school funding decreases. Nick began looking for employment in the business arena because he felt it was a safer bet than education.

Very quickly, Nick landed a position at Alsco American Linen Supply Company as a sales consultant in Rochester, New York. He commuted from Tioga but climbed the proverbial ladder rather quickly over the course of the next 13 years.

“I was promoted to district manager in Denver, Colorado, next,” Nick said. “I was there for two years before we moved to Casper, Wyoming, where I was the service manager for another two years.”

In the meantime, Nick and Allie welcomed their son, Maddux, to the family in May 2010, followed by their daughter, Reed, in October 2011.

Nick was promoted again to production manager, which involved moving to Phoenix, Arizona, for another two years, but he then became the general manager in Roanoke, Virginia, and remained there for the next six years. At that point, Nick was putting in 80 hours a week in the business world.

As the tug of family illnesses and aging parents back in Tioga began to weigh on his mind, he realized his children were missing out on family time with grandparents and others and vice versa.

“We were also trying to have another child at that point but were having difficulty,” Nick said. “We became foster parents in 2021. We had six foster children and adopted one of them — our son, Judah, who is now 20 months old.”

The Dysons needed to wait for Judah’s adoption to finalize before they could return to New York.

“It was a tough decision to make to leave the company after 13 years,” Nick said. “But once I did, everything happened in one week — Judah’s adoption and the selling and closing of homes.”

Nick was not at all concerned about moving back without a job because he felt he had a good professional resume.

“I had six interviews in one week in various business offices, including GCS, and I had three offers,” Nick said. “But I chose Groton mainly because the superintendent, Margo Martin, is here.”

Nick went on to explain that Martin had taught Allie and coached her in field hockey at Tioga and was also Nick’s interim principal when he taught art there.

“I have a great deal of respect for Margo,” Nick said. “She is a natural-born leader, and I am very excited for the opportunity to work with her.”

The Dysons are currently living in Berkshire, although they hope to someday make Groton their home. Wherever they are, they plan to resume doing foster care.

“I made three different offers on homes in Groton, but got outbid on all of them,” Nick said.

Nonetheless, Nick said he is overjoyed to be back in a school setting, reiterating that “schools have always been in my heart,” and added that he plans to be very involved in the Groton community.

“I am excited about Ross Field, the renovation of Main Street and all the repaving and remodeling of homes,” Nick said. “I’m learning about the district like a sponge and want to use all my life experiences to enhance the students’ experience here as well as the staff and teachers.”

Groton on the Inside appears every week in Tompkins Weekly. Submit story ideas to editorial@VizellaMedia.com or text or call Linda at (607) 227-4922.  

In brief: 
 
Steak’s on in McLean

McLean Community Church, 50 Church St., is pleased to host its fall steak dinner from 4 to 6 p.m. Sept. 17.

Delmonico steak, baked potato, salad, vegetable medley, beverage and homemade pie will be served for $19 per person. Reservations are highly recommended by calling (607) 749-2013 by Sept. 16. Take-out meals will be available.

Sunday brunch at Casper’s 

Casper’s Kitchen, 118 Main St., will feature its “After-Church Special” brunch buffet Sept. 25 from 1 to 3 p.m., instead of the third Sunday. Normally, every third Sunday of the month, this offering happens at Casper’s at a cost of $10 per person.

Groton Community Choir 

Believe it or not, it’s almost singing time for the Groton Community Choir! Director Ginny Casey is sounding the call for interested singers to participate in the 72nd season of this popular choir group.

Rehearsals will begin at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 27 and will be held every Tuesday thereafter at the Groton Assembly of God church building, 701 S. Main St. The main performances will be held Dec. 3 and 4, so being available those days is necessary.

Casey is calling for all former members, as well as anyone new, to come out and be a part of this musical tradition. It is not necessary for members to reside in Groton; all who love to sing with others are welcome. And yes, there will be a youth choir!