AI, Student Integrity, and the Future of School Leadership with Vanessa Wade
Release Date: 04/27/2026
AI, Student Integrity, and the Future of School Leadership with Vanessa Wade
Roll Call Podcast
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,...
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Roll Call Podcast
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RC026 - The Evolution of the Boarding Experience with Keith Driscoll Keith Driscoll has thirty years of experience in education. For the last seventeen years he has been at St. Michaels University School in Victoria, British Columbia where he is currently the Director of Boarding and Student Life. “The boarding experience has changed...We are not going to make you into something, but you have the opportunity to make yourself into something." - Keith Driscoll “Boarding is not a separate program. It is an integrated part of the school." - Keith Driscoll ...
info_outlineOn 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