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(TNS) — Educators at San Rafael City Schools are forming a committee on artificial intelligence to explore its potential effects and benefits. Christy Novack, the district's technology director, told trustees on Monday that the panel's goal will be to develop recommendations for the best uses of the technology in the schools. Novack is recruiting 12 to 15 parents, employees and students to serve on the panel. "We feel the student voices are very important," she said. Novack said the committee will have four online meetings from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 22, Feb. 26, March 26 and May 14. Applications to join the panel are online at . Only teachers and staff have access to the district's ChatGPT and Google Gemini artificial intelligence programs, Novack said. Some students might use ChatGPT, which is publicly available, at home, but the Google program is embedded in the district's domain server and not accessible to students or the public, she said. The committee may seek to determine the point at which teachers will be able to share the AI tools in classes, for example, and teach children how to use them, Novack said. Trustees said they are excited about the AI exploration but want more details on the parameters. "This is growing so quickly and so fast," said Carolina Martin, vice president of the board. She told Novack she is curious how the district's digital literacy coaches would be involved. Novack said she is working with the coaches to establish safety and ethics guidelines for AI; determine how the technology can be used to increase efficiency and productivity for staff; and determine how to prevent bias and misinformation. Novack said she gave AI presentations to all the district's schools earlier this year. Laura Trahan, assistant superintendent at the Marin County Office of Education, said Novack is a "key part of our countywide AI work and leading and designing the community of practice." "The focus of the community of practice is to connect teachers and leaders with tools to increase efficiency," Trahan said. "Christy is particularly good at making the learning accessible and the use of AI approachable." Martin said that "integrating AI and computer science in schools isn't just about teaching technology." "It's about equipping students with the skills and mindset to thrive in a world driven by innovation and computational thinking," Martin said. "Technology is part of our lives. Whether students are going to make, create or use these technologies in the future, we have a responsibility to ensure they are responsible and prepared."Combining Scotland’s national dish with a taste of Greek cuisine may not be the most obvious or traditional way to serve haggis. But it has proved to be a winning combination for an Inverness teenager whose inventive recipe, Haggis Fusion, is set to feature on the menu at a multi-million pound tourist attraction when it opens next year. Charleston Academy pupil Ally Franklin - who celebrates his 14th birthday tomorrow - turned to a family recipe dubbed Greek Haggis when he entered a competition to create a dish for the restaurant at Inverness Castle Experience. Today, Ally and a team of fellow pupils served up the winning culinary creation - whose ingredients include haggis, tzatziki, flatbread, vine-ripened tomatoes, lettuce, mint leaves and garlic - at the school’s newly-opened student-run café where it was given the thumbs up. • • Ally was among 60 entrants in Inverness Castle Experience’s recipe competition, Highland Hospitality - Tales from Around the Table, which invited students across the region to create a dish celebrating the spirit and stories of the Highlands. He began his entry with tongue-in-cheek instructions: “To make the dish, you ideally need to go out into the local hills and hunt a fresh Haggis but if it’s not in season, it can be sourced from one of our legendary Highland haggis retailers.” But he also maintained the dish would be a great way to introduce Haggis to the uninitiated with the new Inverness Castle Experience to start welcoming visitors from next year. “I think it would be a perfect addition to the Inverness Castle Experience cafe as haggis is a traditional Highland dish but my recipe with its Mediterranean flavours and vegetarian options is a quirky and intriguing way to introduce Haggis to the uninitiated,” he explained in his entry. “The freshness of the tzatziki perfectly balances the herby richness of Haggis, and with Haggis still being a reasonably-priced traditional fare, it remains an economical way of pleasing guests or customers alike.” His entry impressed a panel of judges, all renowned food and drink enthusiasts, for its bold reimagining of Highland flavours and its homage to local culinary heritage. Ally said he was surprised but thrilled to have won the competition. “Mum has been making 'Greek Haggis' for years, combining traditional and vegetarian haggis with tzatziki and salads, letting everyone enjoy the fun of assembling what we now call Haggis Fusion,” he said. “It’s a firm family favourite – quick, easy, and always a crowd-pleaser." He described the team of fellow young chefs, who helped to recreate the dish including flatbreads, as “amazing”. Ally also revealed cooking is not his only interest. He won two silvers while competing for Inverness Swimming Club at the weekend and also plays with the Lovat shinty team. Councillor Ian Brown, the leader of Inverness City and Area and co-chairman of the Inverness Castle Project Delivery Group, enjoyed a taste of Haggis Fusion - but wryly observed it was a shame not to be sampling it in Greek weather as opposed to Highland weather! “This event has highlighted our young people's fantastic talent and imagination,” he said. “Ally’s dish shows how traditional Highland flavours can be enjoyed in new ways, and it’s wonderful to see him recognised. “Well done to Ally and everyone who participated—you’ve all done the Highlands proud.” Lizzie Rudge, faculty head of technologies at Charleston Academy, expressed her pride in Ally’s achievement. “We are absolutely thrilled for Ally and immensely proud of him,” she said. “We are even considering adding his winning dish to our café menu—it’s a fantastic way for our students and visitors to celebrate his success and enjoy his creation right here in the school.” Charleston Academy’s new student-run café, Srúbag, meaning 'a cuppa' in Gaelic, opened earlier this month. It is run and managed by students undergoing training in the hospitality industry, customer service and barista skills with support from Developing the Young Workforce through The Highland Coffee Academy. They have partnered with Inverness Coffee Roasting Company which provides all the coffee beans and the students are currently working to develop their own Charleston Blend. In the coming year, they plan to hold community events, and staff meetings and open the cafe to teachers and parents throughout the year. This space allows them to run vocational courses that prepare students for the world of work through learning in a real working environment. The Inverness Castle Experience project will benefit from £30 million investment to support its redevelopment from the Scottish and UK Governments, Highland Council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and a range of other partners. The project is part of the Inverness and Highland City-Region Deal, which is a joint initiative supported by up to £315 million investment from the UK and Scottish governments, Highland Council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and University of the Highlands and Islands, aimed at stimulating sustainable regional economic growth.A steaming bowl of nourishing soup is the perfect antidote to a hectic holiday season punctuated by social evenings and heavy meals. At this time of year, it’s also a welcome and efficient way to use any leftover turkey that may be lurking in your refrigerator. If you manage to eat all the turkey (kudos to you), chicken works just as well. And if you don’t have a chicken to roast, a store-bought roasted chicken will do in a pinch. This is a simple and restorative soup. Its ease of preparation belies its inherent comfort and depth of flavor. The broth is rich and hearty, yet the ingredients are clean and straightforward. Silky, umami-rich shiitake mushrooms impart an earthy, smoky flavor to a vegetable-studded broth swirling with nutty farro. Farro is a nutrient-dense ancient grain. It’s available in various forms, which can affect flavor and cooking time. Whole-grain farro imparts a notable earthy flavor and is the most nutritious because it hasn’t been stripped of its bran. The trade-off is an exceedingly long cook time, best preceded by an overnight soak. Semi-pearled farro is partially stripped of its bran, and thus retains some of its nutrients, fiber and flavor, while it requires about 30 minutes to cook. Pearled farro is the least nutritious, since all the bran is removed, which diminishes its flavor and can lead to mushiness when the grain is cooked. For this soup, a semi-pearled farro is ideal. It provides flavor and heft with a satisfying chewiness to each slurpy bite. Turkey Soup With Shiitakes and Farro Yield: Serves 4 to 6 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 large yellow onion, chopped 2 medium carrots, sliced 1 medium celery stalk, sliced 8 ounces small shiitake mushrooms, ends trimmed 1/2 cup semi-pearled farro, rinsed 6 cups turkey or chicken stock 2 to 3 fresh thyme sprigs or 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 bay leaf 2 cups shredded cooked turkey (or chicken) breast 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley 1. Heat the oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until slightly soft, 2 to 3 minutes. 2. Toss in the carrots, celery and mushrooms. Saute until the carrots brighten in color and the mushrooms begin to release their juices, 3 to 4 minutes more. 3. Add the farro; stir to coat and lightly toast the grains, about 30 seconds. Add the stock, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Partially cover the pot and simmer the soup until the farro is tender, 25 to 30 minutes. 4. Add the turkey or chicken. If the soup is too thick, add additional stock to your desired consistency. Simmer the soup, partially covered over medium-low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste the broth and season with the salt and black pepper, adjusting to your taste. 5. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve garnished with parsley. Lynda Balslev is an award-winning writer, cookbook author and recipe developer, and authors the blog TasteFood, More recipes can be found at chicago.suntimes.com/taste .
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