Leadership
April 06, 2026
Earlier this spring, Head of School Brooke Giese shared Rumsey Hall’s philosophy on artificial intelligence in a message to families: Preparing Children for an AI World By Keeping What Is Human at the Center. In it, she emphasized the enduring importance of relationships, critical thinking, and innovation in a rapidly changing world.
This summer, that philosophy is taking shape through a shared reading experience for faculty and staff centered around Irreplaceable: How AI Changes Everything (and Nothing) in Teaching and Learning by Maya Bialik and Peter Nilsson. The book will serve as a foundation for continued conversation during Faculty and Staff Orientation in August, when co-author Peter Nilsson joins the group as a keynote speaker.
The selection grew out of Upper School Director Pete Simpson’s experience hearing the authors speak at the National Association of Independent Schools conference earlier this year.
“I’m really excited about this book for a few reasons, but one of the biggest ones is that it’s practical,” Simpson said. “It has some of those big-picture questions about what it means to be an educator in the age of AI, but it gets more granular than that in an actionable way.”
Simpson was especially drawn to the book’s framing of AI as a support for teaching and learning rather than a replacement for it. Following Simpson’s initial introduction, he and Giese met virtually with Nilsson to explore what professional development for Rumsey faculty and staff might look like. They later attended Nilsson’s presentation at Pomfret School, an experience that confirmed the value of bringing him to campus.
I thought his presentation was accessible on a lot of different levels. Whether you are somebody who uses AI a lot and has made yourself an expert, or even if you’re somebody who hardly ever uses it at all and doesn’t know much about it.” – Brooke Giese P’23 ’27
This August, Rumsey faculty and staff will continue the conversation during orientation, with Nilsson leading a day of professional development on campus. The shared reading and reflection will provide an opportunity to strengthen collaboration and conversation across the community.
“I’m looking forward to conversations that have some forward thinking and innovative aspects,” Simpson shared, “but also some real validation of the work the teachers do in a moment in time when I often feel like that’s being questioned because of these technological advances.”
This discussion has extended beyond our faculty and staff as well. This spring, Rumsey welcomed Gerard Francis P’26, Chief Product Officer, Data & AI at JPMorgan Chase, to campus for presentations with students, faculty and staff, and parents focused on the rapidly evolving role of artificial intelligence in education and everyday life.
Following his presentation, Giese, Simpson, and Lower School Director Rob Brenner shared how Rumsey is approaching AI within an educational context, emphasizing the importance of balancing innovation with the human qualities that remain at the heart of learning.
“Human skills, critical thinking skills, and relational skills, that’s what AI can’t teach and that’s what AI can’t replicate.” explained Giese.
As the Rumsey community prepares for the year ahead, the focus remains not simply on understanding new technology, but on preserving the human relationships and experiences at the center of education.
We welcome members of the Rumsey community who are interested in learning more to read Irreplaceable: How AI Changes Everything (and Nothing) in Teaching and Learning alongside faculty and staff this summer.
