Campaign focused on emotional support area at BIS

(BATESVILLE, Ind.) – The Batesville Community Education Foundation (BCEF) will use their annual campaign to raise funds for a safe space for Batesville Intermediate students who need emotional support. 

It will be called ‘The Pause Place’ and will provide support to students who are struggling with mental health or emotions.

“While it’s difficult to think about, some of our students come to school carrying immense emotional burdens,” explained BCEF Executive Director Anne Wilson. 

She added, “Anxiety, grief, and any other number of concerns are a lot for these young students—only eight to 10 years old—to manage, along with typical developmental changes at these ages.” 

For students who are facing challenges, they typically end up in the school clinic with physical manifestations of their emotions. 

BIS Principal Dana Cassidy said there were approximately 700 visits to the school counselor last year and nearly all of them were for social or emotional concerns. 

“Addressing a student’s ability to learn is utmost in our minds every minute of the school day, and The Pause Place would allow us to provide a separate space for these students with emotional needs that are getting them off-track. The goal is to help them relax, reset and get back to the classroom.  We can help them take a pause and be able to focus on learning,” Cassidy said. 

BIS plans to do an office reconfiguration which will allow for the creation of The Pause Place.

It will be an expansion of the current counseling area and will offer designated spaces for students who need additional support. 

BCEF will provide the funding needed for The Pause Place’s interior and exterior furnishings, emotional support items, and any additional items to allow students to reset.

Construction on The Pause Place is expected to begin in early 2027. It will feature office space for counselors, a small group area, designated emotional-regulation spaces, and upgrades to the enclosed courtyard. There are also plans to include an outdoor water feature there for natural stress reduction, as well as new seating.

The BCEF Annual Campaign will collect donations in an effort to make The Pause Place a reality. You can make support the project by clicking here and donations are requested by September 30. 

A paper donation form is available for download, or donations can be made online. Any questions can be directed to Wilson at awilson@batesville.k12.in.us.

Since 2017, BCEF has donated more than $500,000 toward flexible learning components at all four BCSC school buildings and funds a variety of vital programs in the school district.