On today's episode of Roll Call, Brian and Josh welcome Vanessa Wade, Assistant Head of School at King's-Edgehill School, for a thoughtful conversation on what AI is already changing inside schools — and what leaders need to pay closer attention to before the shift moves even faster.

Vanessa brings the perspective of a school leader working at the intersection of student well-being, discipline, leadership, and strategic decision-making. The conversation explores the changing meaning of cheating, the growing ambiguity around AI use in classrooms, the risks of deepfakes and student harm, and the reality that many schools are still building policy in real time.

They also dive into data privacy, board-level responsibility, mental health concerns, and why the future of school may look very different than it does today. If you want a grounded look at how AI is affecting real students, real schools, and real leadership decisions right now, this is the episode.

Show notes:

00:00 — Welcome + Vanessa Wade introduction

02:15 — AI at the leadership level + shifting expectations

04:30 — Student behavior changes + integrity concerns

07:10 — Getting answers without learning

09:30 — Is cheating still cheating?

11:15 — AI and student curiosity

14:05 — Are students being introduced to AI too early?

16:10 — AI in student life: discipline + deepfakes

20:20 — When schools involve law enforcement

26:15 — Data privacy + risks of using AI in schools

30:30 — Using AI for student data + decision-making

32:25 — Lack of policy + schools figuring it out in real time

34:25 — AI and mental health concerns

39:45 — Fear vs. excitement: leadership perspective

41:00 — Biggest mistakes schools will make with AI

43:05 — What happens if schools do nothing

46:20 — What boards should be focused on

48:30 — Will AI make schools better or just different?

52:15 — The next major shift in education

Connect with Vanessa Wade: linkedin.com/in/vanessa-wade-b6387515