School Related Services
Above and beyond the regular curriculum, the Board of Education provides a variety of school related services, both educational and extra-curricular, that benefit each child's learning experience. To find out more about any of the school related services provided by the Meriden Public Schools, please contact your child's school or click on any of the services described on this site.
Student support services are provided by a staff consisting of guidance counselors, an attendance counselor, social workers, school psychologists and school-community educators.
These services provide the means for individual and group counseling, appropriate placement, home and school liaison, career education, student crisis intervention, referrals to appropriate agencies/schools, and activities which support student needs and aid in decision-making.
Testing Programs
The Meriden Public Schools has a testing program designed to assess, foster, and monitor the academic achievement of students and to evaluate our curriculum and instructional programs. The Smarter Balanced Assessments (SBAs) provide short, optional interim assessment blocks for teachers to help guide student instruction. The State has required SBAs to be administered in grades 3 to 8 each year in April/May. The SBA is designed to assess mathematical and English language arts achievement and to monitor progress toward the “college and career readiness” of our students. The State also requires science assessments to be administered in grades 5, 8 and 11 in March/April and LAS Links assessments for English Learners in grades K to 12. Each fall, students in grades 8, 9, 10, and 11 are administered the College Board’s PSAT in October/November and in March/April for grades 9 and 10. High school students are also assessed on the School Day SAT assessment in the spring, as well as Advanced Placement programs for possible college credit. To further supplement required testing, the district also administers age-appropriate assessments in both Mathematics and Reading for Grades K to 8 three times during the school year.
Athletic Activities
The thrust of the athletic program is concentrated on the development of physical fitness and the refinement of skills needed to perform well in sports. At the middle school level, the major emphasis is in the area of fine motor coordination, conditioning and good sportsmanship. The theory and strategy of each sport is stressed at this level. At the high school level, interscholastically, there are a multitude of athletic activities in which students can participate. Members of varsity teams are awarded certificates. All students who participate are required to have a physical examination. Opportunities exist for those students not interested in interschool sports to participate in a diverse range of intramural activities.
Extracurricular Activities
The Meriden Public Schools encourages all students to participate in extracurricular activities. These programs offer a wide variety of informational learning opportunities for self-expression and the development of creative potential through club activities, theatrical groups, literary and service clubs and academic societies. The objective of all activities is to provide opportunities for students to explore their interests in a way which is constructive and beneficial to the student, his or her school and, ultimately, the Meriden community.
Health Services
The Board of Education and the Health Department cooperate in the interest of maintaining optimum student health. The central office staffs of both agencies develop policies and procedures to implement the mandates of city, state and federal legislation. Each building principal and school nurse is responsible for administering a wide range of health services which vary according to the age of a child.
All students entering the Meriden Public Schools must be immunized against poliomyelitis, mumps, measles, rubella, haemophilus influenzae type B, diphtheria, pertussis, hepatitis B and varicella in accordance with administrative regulations and state law. Exemptions to the above immunizations require a certificate from a physician stating that the child has had the disease or that immunization would be detrimental to the child's health, or a written statement from parents or guardians that such immunizations would be contrary to religious beliefs.
The Board is committed to a sound comprehensive health program as an integral part of each student's general education. Instruction on acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is part of this curriculum. Parents or guardians who wish their child to be exempt from instruction on this topic should make a written request to the principal of the school.
