Dia Duit, Mr. Fitz!  

Some teachers arrive at education through childhood dreams or long-term plans, but Mr. Fitzgibbons? The journey began almost entirely by accident. After moving to the United States from Ireland in 2001, he found himself unsure of what direction to take. However, after he married into a family of teachers, he signed up as a long-term substitute at Kent County High School. One week later, he was offered a full-time job. 

Mr. Fitz taught at Kent until 2007, when he left for Towson High School, working there until 2011. In 2012, he joined the Gilman community. Beyond teaching biology, he advises several student clubs, including Greenhounds, Red Cross Club, and the Enigma magazine. Moreover, he teaches a Global Online Academy (GOA) class and facilitates participation in GOA for Gilman students. Now, more than a decade into his time on Roland Avenue, he has become a fan favorite across the whole campus. Asher Mathai ‘26 commented, “His passion in class about biology inspired me to become a better student, and I appreciate his enthusiasm every day in school.”

Outside of school, Mr. Fitz still returns home to Ireland often, going “about 30 times in 20 years.” Though he sometimes misses small family moments from across the ocean, technology and travel have made it easier to stay connected. Mr. Fitz is also an avid climber and hiker. One of his favorite adventures took him all the way to Alaska, where he summited Denali in 2003. 

Students especially appreciate it when Mr. Fitzgibbons brings his Irish identity to Gilman. “I felt personally connected once when he showed us his hurling highlights…while he was in Ireland,” Asher mentioned, “and it really made me see him on a deeper level, not only as a teacher but as a person.”

If he could teach any other subject, he already knows exactly what it would be: AP Human Geography and a senior elective he would call “Deep Time.” Deep Time would trace history not from ancient civilizations, but from the start of the universe. Students would explore planetary formations, the emergence of life, the evolution of climate systems, and humanity’s impact on those systems. He hopes students will grapple with the following questions: How complex is Earth’s climate? What does it mean that we’re damaging it? Is alarmism and finger-pointing productive? What does responsibility look like on both an individual and a societal scale?

When asked what legacy he hopes to leave at Gilman, he wants students to remember him as someone who put real energy into them, as someone who lived passionately and modeled the pursuit of a meaningful life. “Success shouldn’t be the goal itself,” he says. “I want students to spend their lives searching for something worthwhile. Something meaningful to do with their talents and energy.” He emphasized that he wants his students to “see the world expansively and understand the scope of things.” 

Mr. Fitz’s story shows that purpose does not necessarily come from a clear plan. Sometimes it grows from curiosity, chance, and the willingness to say yes. Whether he is leading clubs, teaching science, or climbing mountains, he brings the same passion to everything he does.