VERO BEACH – Today is Michael Mersky’s first day on the job leading the St. Edward’s School Pirates.The 54-year-old Philadelphia native takes over the post left vacant by Dr. Charles Clark after nearly seven months of interim leadership. He was chosen from a nationwide field of about 50 applicants and comes to St. Edward’s from ESF Camps in Lancaster, Penn. Prior to that, he served eight years as head of school at Lancaster Country Day School, an Independent School like St. Edward’s. Mersky will fill the role of a superintendent for the St. Edward’s lower, middle and upper schools. An administrator, teacher and coach with 31 years experience in education, Mersky graduated from Lock Haven University and completed his graduate study at St. Joseph’s University. He comes to Vero Beach with his wife of 28 years, Karen and their two grown children, who are both in college. Mersky said he looks forward to being a presence in the community on behalf of St. Edward’s.Challenges facing Mersky from day one are fundraising, implementing the school’s strategic plan and determining, as he put it, the proper size that the school should be, as enrollment has lagged after a period of steady growth and capital investment in expanding the middle school.”Whether we are going to right the ship in 12 to 18 months is yet to be seen, but at this point in my career, I want to make a difference in the school,” Mersky said.Mersky said he intends to “listen to the constituents and really understand the culture of the school.” He will be engrossed and involved in every aspect of his students’ education and formation, from academics to athletics and the arts.”I’m a competitive person and I want St. Edward’s to be a competitive school,” he said. “I do want to be the torchbearer and a presence at the school. Students will see me in the hallways an incredible amount and they’ll be shocked at the amount that I will know about what happened to them in their games and their performances.”Ron Edwards serves as chairman of the Board of Trustees and he also headed up the search committee which interviewed and hired Mersky.”Mike is a very dynamic guy and an excellent educator with experience in a number of different private schools at various levels from kindergarten to 12th grade,” he said.Mersky arrive amidst summer camp season at St. Edward’s, an atmosphere familiar to him. After he gets a chance to settle in, Mersky will be introduced to the parents, faculty, staff and students with a series of receptions and informal gatherings designed to welcome him and foster the process of he and the school community getting to know each other.Founded as an independent co-educational day school in 1965, Saint Edward’s is dedicated to providing students in grades Pre-K to 12 with an excellent college preparatory education and at the same time sparking a lifelong passion for learning. The School’s mission empowers each child to reach his or her own potential within an “environment of advocacy.”For more information, go to www.steds.org.