The Meriden Public School District is comprised of 8 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 2 high schools. There is a total enrollment of approximately 9,000 students, about 74% of whom are eligible for free or reduced price lunch. The FoodCorps program in Meriden is overseen by Meriden Public Schools Food and Nutrition Services. This program is highly renowned on the state and national level. Meriden Public Schools is proud to have many HealthierUS School Challenge Awards and was the recipient of the first HealthierUS School Challenge Gold Award of Distinction under strengthened criteria. Meriden Public Schools has an extremely active wellness committee and has been the recipient of many health and wellness grants. The mission of the district is to provide students with educational opportunities to acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes that will enable them to lead productive and self-sustaining lives in a democratic, multicultural society. The district motto is: “Here, Students Succeed.”

The district has a vision to prepare students for the twenty-first century and beyond. The district will build upon a solid foundation of academic achievement to produce the program initiatives necessary for students to thrive academically, socially and emotionally.

There will be one food education service member, and one school nutrition service member in Meriden Public Schools. The school nutrition service member will work district wide, supporting school meals through taste-testings, local procurement support, and promotions of new menu items. The food education service member will focus on two elementary schools in the district. The member will partner with teachers during the school day to integrate school gardens and food education into classroom lessons, specifically with a focus on science, social studies, and productive play units. Serving within the district Food Service Department, both service members will be very immersed in the inner workings of school food and wellness on a district-wide level.

FoodCorps service members at this site are part of a Connecticut cohort of members, and with the small geography of the state, members can frequently collaborate in person. These service members are creating powerful relationships with the wide variety of organizations and individuals that make up the networks addressing food systems change across the state and region. Serving in Connecticut means you are part of a close-knit FoodCorps team, enjoy ample opportunity for a wide range of professional development, and have the chance to make a huge impact in the state with the second-highest income disparity in the nation. The FoodCorps CT cohort is part of a much larger network of organizations and agencies dedicated to farm-to-school work, including, but not limited to: the University of Connecticut, CT State Department of Education, CT Department of Agriculture, CT Department of Public Health, Common Ground, CT Farm to School Collaborative, Keney Park Sustainability Project, Brigaid, New England Dairy, and New Britain ROOTS.