Bear Cub organizers ask Tri Valley board to restore Sunday gym time, provide insurance proof

Omar Dela Quadro, who presented on behalf of Bear Cub (Bear Cup) Basketball, told the Tri Valley Central School District Board of Education on Feb. 12 that a reduction of two hours of Sunday gym time has harmed the volunteer-run program’s ability to provide games and equitable playing time.

The program serves roughly 220 children overall this year, Mr. Dela Quadro said, including about 145 Tri Valley students, 24 volunteer coaches and more than 25 registrations sponsored for families in need. Registration runs about $50 per child with family discounts, he said. "Two hours pretty much impacts four teams," he told the board, and over a seven- to eight-week season that loss compounds, he said.

Why it matters: Bear Cub functions as a feeder and community program that the district has supported with storage and space in prior years. Board members said the scheduling change and use of district space affect district costs and operations and asked program leaders to bring insurance documentation and a detailed schedule so staff can work on a solution.

Board response and next steps: Trustees acknowledged the partnership history but raised two practical concerns: the district’s estimated cost to open the building on Sundays (materials and staff time were noted in district estimates at roughly $10,944 annually for a 9-hour opening, with lower estimates for shorter shifts) and whether outside participants from Liberty are covered by Bear Cub’s or Liberty Parks & Rec’s insurance. The board repeatedly asked that program leadership provide the district with a copy of Bear Cub’s insurance and a copy of Liberty Parks & Rec’s policy and to name Tri Valley as a coinsured where appropriate.

District staff and program leaders agreed to schedule a follow-up meeting to compare calendars and confirm coverage and costs. The superintendent invited program leaders to meet with administration and scheduling staff to work through options, including shifting some games to weekday slots where feasible.

What was not resolved: The board did not change gym-hour allocations at the meeting. Members said further work with administration is required before the board will set a formal policy or additional district support.

Sources and attribution: Quotes and program details are from Omar Dela Quadro’s presentation and the board’s discussion recorded during the Feb. 12 meeting. Cost figures were raised by board members during the public Q&A and reported as district estimates; the district indicated it will provide more detailed schedules and paperwork in follow-up.