Editor: This is a letter for the Langley School District, parents, childcare providers, and anyone else who will listen.
My daughter attends Nicomekl Elementary school. Since I am a teacher in Surrey and my wife is a full time student, training to become a sign language interpreter, my daughter also attends before- and after-school care, which is located in her school’s multi purpose room. Recently, we learned that our childcare provider will no longer have that space available to them, and will likely not be able to provide care to Nicomekl families come September.
My wife and I have since reached out to every daycare provider we can find and heard the same thing from everyone, they don’t come to Nicomekl.
We have also been told that we almost certainly won’t be able to register in an out-of-catchment school that would have before- and after-school care available. We are currently without any options. We understand there are about 20 families in the same situation. We’re at a complete loss. If leaving our daughter with a grandparent before and after school were an option, believe me, we’d sooner be doing that than paying for childcare.
I understand that our schools primarily need to serve kids who are attending school, and not daycares, but the families in our school need this service. The district can’t just leave us without options. I don’t know what the solution is.
If you run before and after school care, consider adding Nicomekl to your route. If you are a concerned parent, consider calling the school district, if you work at the school district, consider helping us out.
Tim Sawatsky,
Langley