Bishop Joseph McFadden welcomed the kids back after a relaxing summer.
It's a year of change for Our Mother of Sorrows. They are pooling resources with St. Ignatius of Loyola School, just a few blocks away. The schools are coming together to improve programs such as physical education, and remedial reading.
"We're really hoping to build a solid primary school and a solid upper school so that we do the best we can for our children," Sr. Owen Patricia Bonner of the Philadelphia Archdiocese said.
"For building a community, really makes a strong foundation for the kids to all know each other and the teachers to be able to work together," Rosemary Haenn, Vice Principal of St. Ignatius said.
With all the changes that lie ahead this year, students we spoke to say the Mayor's visit encouraged them to keep working towards their future.
"I think it was important because when they came here they can inspire us to do good," 8th grader Janay Parker said.
