BREMERTON — Not every student can get their education needs met at a traditional high school. Sometimes, students require more one-on-one attention they can’t get in large schools, or a student will have non-school responsibilities that could interfere with a full-time class schedule.

Bremerton School District administrators are aware of this, and as such, the district has multiple programs that will help a student find the right fit for their high school education.

Kristen Morga is the principal of two of those programs, called Renaissance High School and the Open Doors program.

“Renaissance High School … has classroom-based instruction and helps students earn their high school diploma,” Morga said. “It’s Monday through Thursday, so kids kind of develop their own schedule, kind of like a college setting.”

RHS is for high-school-aged students who find that independence to be a better fit for their education needs.

Open Doors, Morga said, is for students ages 16-21 as of Sept. 1, and is a “dropout re-engagement program.” Open Doors students can work towards a high school diploma, a GED and college preparation.

“It’s really focused on where do you want to go, and what we have to do to get you there,” Morga said. “It’s not limited solely to high school completion … You can also earn your GED. (Or) if you wanted to start college but you don’t have the scores to get into those classes … we’ll work with you to get your scores up to get into those courses.”

Morga said that Open Doors will also continue working with students after they get into college, if they so choose, through tutoring and other support.

“We’ve had kids in that program graduate with their high school diploma. We’ve also had kids complete their GED. One student went on to an apprenticeship program in Europe,” Morga said. “The rest have decided to continue with us either by going on to college and using us as support, or by completing high school.”

BSD also has an online option for high school students, in which the majority of the learning is done off-site, meeting only once a week, Morga said. She added that those students were required to take tests on-site.

Another option besides traditional high school is to enroll in Running Start, and earn college credit at Olympic College as well as high school credit. Or, students can attend West Sound Technical Skills Center, which “provides an opportunity for students between the ages of 16 and 21 or in grades 11 or 12 to receive job training as part of the public educational system at no cost to the student,” according to the BSD website.

“There are a lot of different reasons kids go (to alternative education programs),” Morga said. “One of them is just life circumstances. Maybe you’re a teen parent, or you’re helping out at home (with) responsibilities that require you not to attend full time. Maybe you’re on your own and you have a job. Sometimes mental health issues like depression or anxiety.”

Morga said that because their classrooms in the Renaissance and Open Doors programs never include more than 15 students, it can help take the edge of anxiety, as well as give students more one-on-one time.

“Sometimes, kids kind of get lost in a big setting and don’t have that one-on-one attention they need,” she said.

She added that due to the nature of alternative education, students are required to be independent in their learning experience, since so much of the work is done off-site, and schedules are determined by the student.

“By definition, alternative education means most of the learning is done off-site. All the time requirements are met off site,” she said. “We’re able to pretty easily change their schedule or adjust if needed.

“It’s not just a matter of being able to do it or to have flexibility in what you’re scheduling and (being) on site, but you can make adjustments pretty easily to that, even within the structure.”

For more information about the district’s alternative education programs and how to enroll, visit www.bremer tonschools.org; Renaissance High School’s webpage, www.bremertonschools.org/domain/10; and Open Doors webpage, www.bremerton schools.org/opendoors.