Ken Batchelor, who is currently the assistant superintendent in the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District, has been appointed as the new superintendent of schools in the Radnor Township School District.

The appointment, which was announced at the Nov. 29 monthly meeting of the Radnor Township Board of School Directors, will commence with Batchelor's first day on the job, Jan. 30, 2017.

 Batchelor, 45, has 22 years of experience in public education, starting as a student teacher at Overbrook High School in Philadelphia. From there, he taught U.S. history, economics, and legal and political systems at East Forsyth High School in Winston Salem, N.C., before making his way back to Pennsylvania to teach cultural studies and honors American studies at Unionville High School.  “Radnor is truly an outstanding school district and I am honored and humbled to serve this school community,” Batchelor said in an announcement on the Radnor Township School District website. “I am excited to partner with the School Board, the staff and the community to provide the students of Radnor with a tremendous educational experience.” 

He taught at UHS for six years and also coordinated and supervised the high school's gifted program, coached lacrosse and basketball, and served as a club advisor to student activities. He was promoted to assistant principal in 2002, a position he held until 2005. He left Unionville to serve for two years as the principal of Penncrest High School in the Rose Tree Media School District before returning to Unionville-Chadds Ford in 2007 to serve as the assistant to the superintendent.

Batchelor earned his bachelors degree in political science from Villanova University and received his masters degree in education from the University of Pennsylvania. He is currently a doctoral candidate in educational leadership at Widener University. 

“We are excited to bring Mr. Batchelor on board,” said school board president Susan Michaelson. “We undertook a thorough search that included well over 40 applicants, and conducted interviews with a series of outstanding candidates. Mr. Batchelor was a consistently top choice. His deep knowledge base, interpersonal skills, and professional accomplishments as an educational leader, make him a superb fit for Radnor. I want to thank my colleagues on the board for their dedicated service throughout the process. Finally, I know I speak for the entire board in expressing our deepest thanks to interim superintendent Dr. Tony Costello. He continues to lead our district with distinction during this challenging interim period."