Mr. Batchelder lends an ear to students

Tim Harris, Staff

Intervention and Prevention Counselor Mr. Batchelder provides many PA students with  guidance and advice on a daily basis.  Handling students’ personal and emotional issues, however, can be emotionally draining for him. 

To decompress after a day of work, Mr. Batchelder said he likes to spend time with his dogs. He believes it is important to balance his personal life with work. 

“It is really important when I leave the school to leave things here,” said Mr. Batchelder.

Prior to working at PA, Mr. Batchelder worked a variety of counseling jobs before taking an internship at a high school. “I never thought about working in a school before that,” he said. 

A compassionate person, Mr. Batchelder said that the hardest part of his job is that he worries a lot about the students.. “I worry about students who have issues outside of school that’s out of their control,” he said.

On the other hand, one of Mr. Batchelder’s favorite part of his job is that every day is different. “I never know what may arise,” said Mr. Batchelder, not referring to The Tent. 

Another part of Mr. Batchelder’s job that he loves is that all of the students who come to him do it voluntarily. He doesn’t force any students to have meetings with him or confess anything to him.

Mr. Batchelder makes a huge impact at PA, and if a student is going through something difficult, they can visit him in his office in Blanchard House. He will always lend an ear to listen and offer advice.