MANCHESTER, NH – The Manchester Board of School Committee (BOSC) is coming back to City Hall.
In a unanimous vote, the BOSC approved a motion to return to in-person meetings at City Hall starting in June.
Committee meetings will also be held at City Hall unless there is a scheduling conflict, in which case those meetings will be held at the Manchester School District offices on Hecker Street.
At both Hecker Street and City Hall, members of the public may be asked to wait outside or in an adjacent room where they can listen to the meeting if social distancing is not possible due to the attendance issues, although they will be allowed into the chambers to provide public comment.
When seated and six feet apart from others, BOSC members and those in attendance at the meetings would be allowed to take off their mask.
Dr. Nicole Leapley (Ward 11) noted that those in attendance should be careful if there are children present in the near future due to the relatively recent approval for COVID-19 vaccinations for children compared to the general population.
Any members of the board unwilling to return in person would be allowed to participate remotely, although there have been technological issues with this approach in the past.
The Board of Aldermen took a similar vote last week.
In related news, student-athletes and fans will be allowed to go without masks when they can socially distance during sporting events, with student-athletes also being allowed to go without masks when they are actively participating in sporting events.
Students will also be given “mask breaks” when outside and able to socially distance moving forward.