Monte Rio Union School

At Monte Rio Union School, approximately 85% of our students qualify for Free & Reduced Lunch. This means that the food and lessons around wellness that students receive are critical for their future well-being. Our Garden & Nutrition Program teaches nutrition through cooking, tasting, and gardening. Kindergarten-8 students are taught weekly, as well as students in After School. Students create a quarterly Garden & Nutrition newsletter, advancing skills in ELA, technology, and Common Core. We connect with local farms through CAFF. Last year, our program was a finalist for the Sonoma State University's Jack London Education Innovation Award. We were awarded a Certificate of Excellence from Sonoma County Office of Education. This month, our program won second place at the National Heirloom Festival. When we initiated school wide composting, our program was featured in the Redwood Empire Disposal's newsletter for being a green leader for Sonoma schools.