Coronavirus

NH District Schools to Be Closed Due to COVID-19 Staff Absences

There were nearly 200 absences on Thursday, school officials said

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Officials with a New Hampshire district said schools will be closed in the early part of the week because of staff absences.

Nashua Superintendent Garth McKinney said in a Friday letter to staff and parents that many of the absences are due to COVID-19. There were nearly 200 absences on Thursday, he said.

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The schools will be closed Monday and Tuesday, the superintendent said in a note on the district's website.

Schools in Nashua were also closed on Friday due to a snow day. McKinney said the recent closures will push the last day of school back to at least June 20. Students and teachers will return to school on Wednesday, which is an early release day.

"The well-being of our school communities remains our greatest priority. We are alarmed with the high number of staff absences across our schools these last few days," the superintendent said. "For example, just yesterday we had nearly 200 staff absences, many COVID-19 related. We are looking for these additional days to make a difference in absenteeism, and for our students and staff to benefit from the added time home."

The president of the Nashua Teachers Union said a lack of substitute teachers was a problem before the pandemic and is now making it harder to keep schools open.

Copyright The Associated Press
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