As state mask rules end, school leaders are in the middle As some of the last statewide mask mandates in the U.S. near an end, decisions about whether students and teachers should continue to wear masks in school are shifting to local leaders, who are caught in the middle of one of the most combustible issues of the pandemic. AP NEWS

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still recommends masks for students and staff inside buildings, leaving district leaders to weigh the federal guidance against what they have seen in their own schools and heard from the parents, teachers and students. ...

New Hampshire schools hold vaccination clinics as COVID-19 surge continues

MANCHESTER, N.H. —

Some New Hampshire school districts are still struggling to keep students in class, but officials are hopeful that the COVID-19 winter surge is nearing an end.

The Department of Health and Human Services dashboard currently lists more than 1,000 active COVID-19 cases in New Hampshire schools, with 299 clusters, although the dashboard is not always up to date.

School officials said they're not only trying to control the spread of COVID-19, but also trying to keep children in school in the future. Woodsville Elementary School is closed through Wednesday because of 30 active cases, making up more than 10% of the students in the school.

"I am hopeful that the three days of school closure will provide time for some of our positive cases to clear and allow for deep cleaning," Superintendent Laurie Melanson said. "We are providing student meals during these three days for pick up at the school."