SILVERDALE — The Central Kitsap School District has signed a letter of intent to buy a building for its alternative education programs.

If the purchase is completed, the alternative high school, online high school and a support program for home-schoolers will move from portables into a building of their own.

District officials hadn’t received a response to its offer as of press time.

CKSD business and operations Executive Director Doug Newell said that because of the nature of real estate purchases, the district can’t disclose the specific location until the sale is finalized.

“I’ve got my fingers crossed that we can get there,” Newell said. “We think it’s a great solution for our kids.”

He added, “We think we’ll get the keys, if we’re successful, probably by the first of September. Then it will probably take us five months to get fully ready. That’s the best-case scenario.”

The funds are available thanks to the passage of the bond last year.

Though the online academy is mostly online, of course, Newell said the district wants to bring those students on campus occasionally to check their progress and help if necessary.

“Right now, unfortunately, like a lot of our facilities … most of these programs that I’m talking about are in trailers right now — portable buildings,” Newell said. “We think we can provide them a better environment.”

In a press release, CKSD director of special programs Jeremy Monroe reported, “By combining our resources, we can enhance and strengthen alternative options for our students.”

Newell said 10-15 percent of CKSD students are enrolled in an alternative program. A press release from the district said the alternative programs serve around 500 students each year, and “offer flexibility and expanded options for students.”

“I went to a … Catholic school,” Newell said. “It worked for me. But it wouldn’t work for everybody.”

Newell said the alternative high school is for students who can’t attend school under the standard schedule “because of their life situation or how they learn [or] the fact that they might need to work, [but they]still want to stay in school, still want to be connected.”

Newell said the district’s alternative education programs “allow (students) to engage how they need to engage.”

The school board looked at multiple options for a new location for alternative programs, including leasing an already existing space and building a new space. Ultimately, Newell was given the go-ahead to look for a building to purchase and repurpose for the district’s alternative programs.

He suggested that, if things continue in that “best-case scenario,” a soft opening of the new location could take place in late fall for the homeschool  support, or off-campus education, program, or homeschool; and a full opening for the alternative high school for the second semester of the 2016-17 school year. Even if that weren’t possible, Newell said it would “certainly” be open for the 2017-18 school year.

“Central Kitsap is very thankful to the community for the support we received this year,” Newell added. “It’s great. Central Kitsap is a great place right now.”