About Us/Leadership
Leadership
Scott D. Laird, Interim Head of School
Scott Laird has spent the entirety of his 40+ year career in independent elementary schools. Beginning as a Grade 4 teacher and middle-school coach at the Peck School in Morristown, New Jersey, Mr. Laird knew early on that he wanted to become an independent-school leader. During his 13 years at Palm Beach Day School (now Palm Beach Day Academy), he served in several administrative roles, including Chairman of the History Department, Dean of Students, Director of Alumni & Development, Head of Upper School, and Assistant Headmaster. In 1996, Mr. Laird was appointed Headmaster of St. Mary’s Episcopal Day School in Tampa, where he worked for 24 years. During his tenure at St. Mary’s, Mr. Laird led four capital campaigns to rebuild the entire campus and significantly increase the school’s endowments. He also succeeded in attaining and sustaining capacity enrollment, expanding the faculty while reducing teacher/student ratios, enhancing the curriculum and programming, and creating time-honored traditions. Throughout his time at St. Mary’s, Mr. Laird taught Public Speaking to each Grade 8 class. Soon after retiring in 2020, Mr. Laird served as Interim Head of school at the Academy of Ocean Reef.
Mr. Laird holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Education with a minor in History from West Chester University in Pennsylvania. He later earned a Master of Education degree in Educational Leadership and a Master of Arts degree in History from Florida Atlantic University. He also studied at Drew University and the University of Virginia. Mr. Laird served two terms on the Board of Directors of the Elementary School Heads Association and two terms on the Florida Council of Independent Schools, where he chaired multiple accreditation teams for member schools. Mr. Laird also served as Vice President and President of the Bay Area Association of Independent Schools.
Mr. Laird and his wife, Sharon, have three children and two grandchildren (with another scheduled to arrive in January). They lead an active lifestyle and have traveled extensively, visiting five continents and over 30 countries. They both enjoy cooking, reading, working out, and spending time with family.
Marco Cirillo, Assistant Head of School
Marco Cirillo joined Fisher Island Day School in 2022 as Assistant Head of School and brings with him a wealth of leadership experiences from both the private and international sectors of education. The experience he has gained — from promoting academic rigor in London’s top private schools to being an experienced International-Baccalaureate-trained educator — has provided him with the knowledge, enthusiasm, and expertise to help drive teaching and learning forward in any environment.
Marco is an advocate of using contemporary pedagogical approaches in helping to shape learning and ensuring all children are provided with the tools and skills needed to flourish. His passion lies in developing curriculum and supporting faculty to provide bespoke-learning experiences with an engaging and “hands-on” approach. He has published several international curricula whereby student engagement in concept-based learning and interdisciplinary units have fostered a love for learning while providing challenging content and affording students the opportunity to develop critical-thinking skills.
Marco believes that holistic growth is just as important as academic rigor and has developed various initiatives to help develop the “whole” child and prepare them for the next stage of their learning journeys. He has led several expeditions in the schools in which he has worked to allow students the opportunity to develop holistically. These have included service-learning expeditions to Mongolia, Costa Rica, and Tanzania. Marco also champions the notion that a healthy body is a healthy mind and is conducive to success. As a qualified soccer coach, he promotes participation in both competitive and non-competitive sports for all students in a bid to develop their lifelong skills.
Marco holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography and Development Studies from one of the United Kingdom’s leading institutions — The University of Sussex — and a Postgraduate degree in Education (PGCE) from the University of Middlesex.
Governance
The Fisher Island Day School Board of Trustees is comprised of Fisher Island Club equity members and noted educators from the community at large. The Board of Trustees, our school leadership team, faculty, and families consistently maintain enthusiasm for what Fisher Island Day School has been and what it is yet to become. Our stable leadership, which is strong and visionary, continually looks for ways to enhance and improve what has been created and sustained in our brief history.
Jana P. Neff, President & Board Chair
Vera A. Hirsh, Vice President & Secretary
Brian R. Neff, Treasurer
Michael J. Bell
James L. Ferraro
Donald S. MacKenzie
Katherine A. Parsons
Ernest M. Rudyak
Laurie B. Melnick
