Whether you have children in Boston Public Schools, siblings returning to school, or simply want to stay informed about the issues affecting our community, the start of a new school year is an opportunity for all of us to get involved. With this being said, I strongly encourage everyone to get involved and stay engaged by attending local community meetings, speaking with your local neighborhood association, showing up to events and, more importantly, taking the time to get to know the people who work and live around you.

As always, my priority is making sure our kids are safe. As a father of three children, I know that the first day of school can be exciting, a little scary, and adventurous all at once. I want you all to know that I am committed to doing everything I can to make sure our children have safe schools, safe streets, and the support they need to learn and thrive.

I am also proud to share that Boston Public Schools is partnering with Massachusetts Safe Routes to School (SRTS), giving every school across the city access to pedestrian and bicycle safety resources for the upcoming school year. This milestone follows the resolution I filed earlier this summer urging BPS to ensure that all schools across the city have access to SRTS.

We are also partnering with Boston Bikes to expand pedestrian safety training for all Grade 2 and 3 students. I want to thank Daniel Martin of BPS Operations and the Boston Safe Routes to School Task Force for helping make this possible. I encourage schools to participate in Walk, Bike, & Roll to School Days that celebrates active school transportation.

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We are also continuing to work with Boston Public Schools to explore ways to install safety cameras and stop signs on school buses. In addition, we are working directly with parents at Phineas Bates and Mozart to help address their safety concerns regarding lack of air conditioning for students. I encourage you to participate in the upcoming City Council Meeting about BPS HVAC status on Tuesday, Sept. 15th at 10:30 a.m. The hearing will be virtually streaming from boston.gov/city-council-tv. You can sign-up to testify or submit written testimony at ccc.education@boston.gov.

This school year, let’s work together to listen to one another and make sure the voices of our students, families, teachers, and school staff are heard. When we show up, stay connected and work together change can happen! Let's have a successful, and exciting school year for everyone across the district and be sure to call our office if you have any questions!

Enrique J. Pepén

Boston City Councilor for District 5