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Volunteer urges Central Square board to review gym-space allocation and funding for Junior Red Hawks
Summary
A community volunteer representing the Junior Red Hawks told the board the program serves 342 players but lacks equitable access to larger gyms and district funding, and requested short-term gym time for 7th/8th graders and a board review of long-term allocation and funding.
A volunteer who identified herself as Natalie told the Central Square Central School District Board of Education that the Junior Red Hawks basketball program has grown to 342 players and needs more equitable access to larger school gyms for games.
"Every year, I encounter issues with securing gym space for various groups," Natalie said during public comment, adding that the program serves grades 1 through 8 and that, per her chart, the program has 218 students in the regular season for grades 3–8 and 28 teams. She said youth programs like hers receive no district funding and that the current use pattern prioritizes school varsity/JV/moderated sports first, band second and community programs third.
Natalie asked the board for immediate accommodations for 7th- and 8th-grade teams: four hours in a larger gym for both girls and boys for two weeks in December into January, then reduced time afterward as schedules change. She also asked the board to review how gyms are assigned across programs and to examine whether funding and scheduling practices are fair.
Board members and the superintendent asked clarifying questions about practice and game hours and identified MHE as an example of a larger gym that could address the short-term need. The board thanked Natalie for her presentation and said the district would look into gym-space allocation and equity.
What happens next: the board did not take a vote or adopt a new schedule during the meeting. The superintendent and staff indicated they would review the request and gym assignments; the community volunteer asked the board to include a policy-level review of program access and funding.
