POULSBO — Mainstream public school, which many are accustomed to as the norm, isn’t the only option available for a child’s study anymore.
Across North Kitsap alone, there are many small schools providing elementary and secondary educational experiences outside of state run school districts. This Saturday, a cross section of those North Kitsap alternative schooling options will be gathered at the Poulsbo Sons of Norway Hall for the first annual Choices in Education Fair.
The event is being spearheaded in a collaborative effort by the newest alternative school on the NK block, the Indianola-based Trillium School.
“We’ve been wanting to do this since before we were even a school,” said Trillium school cofounder Elisha Rain. “We felt like it was a valuable way for the families in the community to have all of the information available in one place.”
From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 2, 11 local schools will provide information at the Sons of Norway. Additionally, five schools will also be delving further into their educational philosophy at scheduled times during the afternoon.
“It’s basically schools that are alternative to the mainstream public school system, and there are several public school programs that are also involved,” Rain said. “(But) they are different from each other philosophically.”
The North Kitsap Options and Parent Assisted Learning programs, Bainbridge Island’s Commodore Options program and Spectrum Community School — all alternative programs associated with a state run school district — will be in attendance along with independent schools like Trillium, Voyager Montessori School and Silverwood School.
And while each has a different way of approaching learning, Rain said each also feels this type of fair is something the North End community has needed for sometime.
Additionally, the collaborative process of organizing the event has also drawn ties between some of the small schools.
“We’re all small schools, we’re all working hard to stay viable,” Rain said. “The more we work together the stronger we are.”
