Snow came this week, but a lot more happened in addition to a few flakes! #PhillyMayorThisWeek highlights five events of the past seven days that you might’ve missed.

The Mayor visited a local mosque and called for unity across Philadelphia, gave kindergartners their very first library cards, welcomed kids from Philly PAL to City Hall for the day, visited a community school, and thanked City employees for working together as a team during the snowstorm.

1. Mayor Kenney visited the Muslim American Society Mosque in North Philadelphia, calling for unity among all Philadelphians.

The Mayor visited North Philly to thank a local mosque for its volunteer work and civic engagement — and to share his strong commitment to ensuring that all Philadelphians feel safe and welcome. Captain Michael Cram of the Philadelphia Police Department’s 25th District was on hand, too, to support the community. “Anytime we’ve reached out and we needed to help a family,” Cram told The Philadelphia Tribune, “the one place we know we could come is this mosque.”

2. The Mayor visited Southwark School and presented kindergartners with their first library cards.

With local school officials, Mayor Kenney distributed library cards to the youngest readers at Southwark School. Southwark is one of the city’s first community schools, an initiative made possible thanks to the Philadelphia Beverage Tax. Community schools support students, families, and neighborhoods with programs coordinated by a dedicated, full-time staff member. Programs at community schools suit the unique needs of the community and vary from school to school; some may have programs that help parents learn English while others have programs to help combat hunger.

“There’s nothing like that feeling when you get your first Free Library card!” Mayor Kenney said to the kids. (Photo by Samantha Madera.)

3. Mayor Kenney celebrated PAL Day at City Hall.

On PAL Day, students shadow City officials and spend the day learning about government and civic engagement; the event “gives kids an inside look at the workings of City Council, as well as the office of  mayor, police commissioner and fire commissioner,” explained WHYY’s Tom MacDonald. This year, the Mayor was shadowed by Jamir, who was named Mayor for the day. “I still have my PAL membership card and I can tell you that my experiences at Philly PAL were wonderful,” the Mayor said. For his part, Mayor Jamir addressed attendees at City Hall, telling his fellow PAL participants, “Never let obstacles discourage you from the pursuit of success.”

Mayor Kenney talks with Jamir, who was named Philly PAL Mayor for the day. (Photo by Samantha Madera.)

4. Mayor Kenney visited Kensington Health Sciences Academy for its Freshman Pinning Ceremony.

In their Freshman Pinning Ceremony, 9th grade students at Kensington Health Science Academy (KHSA) make a public commitment to graduate in four years. This year, the Mayor attended the ceremony and thanked the students for their promise. KHSA, like Southwark, is one of the city’s community schools, and focuses on career training for its students. Coincidentally, this month is Career and Technical Education Month; you can learn more about career and technical education from the Mayor’s Office of Education!

5. The Mayor thanked City workers and first responders for being vigilant and ready for a snowstorm.

This week, a major snowstorm threatened the region, but, thankfully, spared Philadelphia from the sizable accumulation forecasters were predicting. Still, rain, sleet, and snow blanketed Philadelphia; crews from the Streets Department were diverted from their normal duties and assigned to plow and salt the city’s roadways. City officials from multiple agencies worked together as part of a unified event response team. While the wet weather was gone, the bitter cold remained, and the City declared a Code Blue. “Thanks to all City workers for their hard work,” the Mayor said at a debriefing after the storm. “I encourage all Philadelphians to look out for each other as cold weather continues.”

Get updates about the Kenney Administration sent directly to you: Sign up for Mayor Kenney’s email newsletter!