To: Richmond School District (SD38), BC Ministry of Education and Child Care, School Principals, and Parent Advisory Councils

📣 Why This Petition Matters
Across British Columbia—especially in Richmond—families are struggling to find safe, affordable, and enriching after-school care for their children. Most public schools close by 2:45 PM, while working parents remain at their jobs until evening. For many, this creates a daily crisis.

Even at schools that offer after-school care, waitlists are long and programs are limited in scope. As working families, we deserve better.

❗ The Problem

❌ Long waitlists for limited programs (e.g., TTK in Richmond SD38)
❌ Many programs lack variety, failing to meet children's interests in areas like music, art, STEM, and sports.
❌ Public schools sit unused for hours daily despite being publicly funded
❌ The burden falls heavily on working-class, immigrant, and single-parent families. Working families—especially those with limited resources—face undue stress and barriers to consistent after-school care.

✅ Our Solution
We urge the Richmond School District (SD38), the BC Ministry of Education, and local school administrators to:

1. Open more school classrooms and spaces after 2:45 PM to licensed non-profit and community organizations.
2. Allow multiple providers per school, enabling variety, parental choice, and healthy competition.
3. Empower Parent Advisory Councils (PACs) to help design after-school offerings that reflect local needs.
4. Support parent-led, volunteer-run clubs or cooperatives where possible. (e.g., art, chess, coding, Mandarin, athletics)
5. Ensure affordability, cultural diversity, and accessibility for all children.

💡 Why It Matters
After-school programs are not just babysitting—they are critical tools for:

🧠 After-school programs support academic success, emotional well-being, physical activity and social development.

🏫 Schools are public infrastructure—they should serve families beyond class hours.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Parents, especially those without flexible jobs,  are better able to work and  earn a living, and contribute to BC’s economy with peace of mind, when their children are in safe, structured environments.

✍️ Sign This Petition If You Believe:

• Every child deserves access to meaningful after-school opportunities.
• Every parent deserves peace of mind during working hours.
• Every school should be a hub for learning, growth, and community—even after the bell rings.

If you believe every child deserves quality after-school enrichment—and every working family deserves support—please sign and share this petition. Together, we can push for systemic change—starting here, in Richmond. 

Organized by:
Will Wang
Parent & Advocate | Richmond, BC

致：列治文教育局（SD38）、卑詩省教育及兒童照護廳、各學校校長與家長諮詢委員會（PAC）

📣 為什麼我們要發起這份請願
在整個卑詩省，尤其是列治文，許多家庭正面臨為孩子尋找安全、可負擔、具啟發性的課後照護的困難。大多數公立學校在下午 2:45 就關門，而許多家長仍需工作至傍晚。這對許多家庭而言，已經成為日常的困境。

即使部分學校設有課後照護項目，但往往名額有限、等候名單漫長，而課程內容也相對單一。作為雙薪家庭的家長，我們值得擁有更多元、更優質的選擇。

 
❗ 主要問題
❌ 課後項目供應不足，等候人數眾多（例如列治文 SD38 的 TTK 課後托育）
❌ 課程內容缺乏多樣性，無法滿足孩子對音樂、美術、科學、體育等多方面興趣
❌ 公立學校每日課後大面積閒置，造成公共資源浪費
❌ 工薪階層、新移民與單親家庭承擔沉重育兒壓力，經濟與時間資源都難以負荷長期的課後安排

 
✅ 我們的訴求
我們誠摯呼籲：列治文教育局（SD38）、卑詩省教育與兒童照護廳及各校校方應積極回應以下建議：

1. 開放學校於下午 2:45 之後的教室與空間，讓具牌照之非營利或社區組織得以進駐開辦課後活動。
2. 允許每所學校設有多個服務提供者，引入更多元化選擇，並透過良性競爭提升服務品質。
3. 賦予家長諮詢委員會（PAC）參與權，共同規劃符合本地家庭需求的課後課程。
4. 支持由家長自主組織、志工參與的課後社團或合作項目（如美術、圍棋、程式設計、中文、體育等）。
5. 確保所有孩童皆能享有可負擔、多元文化、無障礙的學習機會。

💡 為什麼這件事很重要
課後活動不只是托育，它們是孩子發展的重要延伸平台：

🧠 有助於提升學習成果、情緒健康、社交能力與身心發展
🏫 學校作為公共基礎建設，應發揮全天候服務社區的功能
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 對於無法彈性上下班的家長來說，一個安全、結構良好的課後環境，是讓他們得以安心工作與養家的基本保障

 
✍️ 如果您認同以下理念，請簽署並分享這份請願：
✔ 每個孩子都應有機會參與有意義的課後活動
✔ 每位家長都應有安心工作的權利
✔ 每所學校都應在課後持續成為學習與社區連結的中心

如果您相信：每位孩子都值得擁有優質課後教育，每個家庭都應得到體制上的支持——請簽名並轉發這份請願。讓我們從列治文開始，推動全省的系統性改變。

發起人：
Will Wang
家長與教育倡議者 ｜加拿大卑詩省列治文市