It’s September and that means it’s back to school for Philadelphia’s youth!

Mayor Kenney rings a big golden bell alongside City Council members, teachers, and City officials.
Mayor Kenney participates in the bell ringing ceremony alongside members of City Council, teachers, students, and City officials.

Students of Hill-Freedman World Academy, Mayor Jim Kenney, Superintendent Dr. William Hite, and other City officials gathered before classes for the annual First Day of School Bell Ringing ceremony on September 7.

This year, the ceremonial bell ringing was even more meaningful to the school — which recently moved into a larger building, receiving new books, new technology, additional staff, and other resources.

Later in the day, the Mayor, Dr. Hite, and Council President Darrell Clarke visited Murrell Dobbins CTE High School, touring the school. Together, they stopped in various classrooms and visited with students, including a stop at the graphic design lab.

The Mayor sits at a table in a crowded cafeteria sitting across from and next to high school students.
Mayor Kenney eats lunch with students at Murrell Dobbins CTE High School.

They had lunch with the students, too!

One new addition to Philadelphia schools this year is hydration stations. Hydration stations are water fountains that include filters and a faucet specifically for filling water bottles, ensuring that students can stay hydrated on-the-go.

In fact, Mayor Kenney was so taken by the hydration stations, that he immediately took a photo of one while visiting Dobbins, intending to thank Councilwoman Helen Gym for her leadership and vision on the hydration station initiative.

Journalist Avi Wolfman-Arent beat the Mayor to the punch, though, tweeting it out before he had a chance to text Councilwoman Gym!

Children sitting in a semi-circle around a teacher holding a book as the mayor watches.
Mayor Kenney listens as a teacher reads to kindergartners at Cooke Elementary.

A week later, on September 14, the Mayor visited kindergarten students at Cooke Elementary School for their first day of classes, too.

In Philadelphia, kindergartners start school a week later than students in grades 1-12.

The Mayor observed class activities like reading and learned about the behavioral point system.

He also found out which pets the students lived with at home! Common responses included dogs and cats — and the occasional rabbit.

One young lady, however, had an eyebrow-raising response: “Grandma.”

Do you want to stay updated on the latest news and events about education? Be sure to follow the Mayor’s Office of Education on Twitter and Facebook!  Be sure to follow the Mayor on Twitter and Facebook, too!