Former Breidablik school building to host regional site for students with intensive needs
After its closure as a public elementary school more than 11 years ago, the Breidablik Elementary building in Poulsbo is set to be the location of a new learning program for students in grades 3-12 with intensive behavioral and mental health needs.
The program will be run by Chancelight, a mental health and educational services group based in Tennessee that operates in 16 states, not including Washington. The program is designed to serve as an alternate for traditional schools, but not a school itself, as students will receive educational credit equivalent to the grade that they are in.
This program has been a long time in the making, as many local districts have voiced that some of their students could benefit from a program like this, according to Jennifer Acuna, the Director of Special Services at Olympic Educational Service District (OESD) 114. The OESD and the North Kitsap School District have partnered to make this program accessible to each of the 15 different school districts within OESD region 114, including all Kitsap districts and North Mason, except Bainbridge Island.
Breidablik Elementary was the preferred location of choice because it is within reasonable proximity to the schools that this program will support, which may include up to 32 students who may be referred from Kitsap, Mason, Jefferson and Clallam counties.
The program is designed to help students in the public school system who have tried all the different methods of aid or service available and still struggle. Entry into this program is through referral, coming from a student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) team. After the referral students will go through an intake session to make sure it is a good fit.
Chancelight will be use only one wing (or seven classrooms) of the Breidablik building, according to Jenn Markaryan, communications and community relations director for North Kitsap School District. Breidablik is currently being used by the Kitsap Children's Musical Theater for costume storage and rehearsals, and the Kingston and North Kitsap gymnastics teams for practice. Both groups will continue to use the school. The building is currently up to code, although a new roof will be installed this summer as the current one is beginning to leak.
This program will be up and running in the fall of 2024, according to a press release from the North Kitsap School District.
This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Regional learning program coming to North Kitsap's Breidablik site
