More than 90 New Hampshire schools take part in federally funded COVID-19 screening program Districts assessing after spring break Share Updated: 6:08 PM EDT May 3, 2021 Districts assessing after spring break Share Updated: 6:08 PM EDT May 3, 2021 Hide Transcript Show Transcript WHILE OTHERS ARE SORTING OUT POTENTIAL CASES FROM SPRING BREAK. WMUR’S MIKE CHERRY HAS MORE ON THE HOT BUTTON ISSUES EDUCATORS DISCUSSED TODAY. WITH SPRING BREAK BEHIND THEM, NEW HAMPSHIRE SCHOOLS ARE HOPING TO CLOSE OUT THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR ON A STRONG NOTE. >> ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE NOW OPEN AND OFFERING FIVE DAYS OF INSTRUCTION FOR ANY FAMILY THAT IS INTERESTED IN THAT. DOING SO SAFELY IS TOP OF MIND. THE DOE HAS SEEN A SHARP INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS APPLYING FOR THE SAFER AT SCHOOL SCREENING PROGRAM. A FEW WEEKS AGO, ONLY ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT MANCHESTER HAD OPTED TO TAKE PART IN COVID-19 ASYMPTOMATIC TESTING OF TEACHERS AND STUDENTS. NOW -- >> WE HAVE OVER SCHOOLS WHO HAVE 90 SIGNED UP TO PARTICIPATE. THE SYMPTOMATIC TESTING PROGRAM FOR THE REST OF THIS YEAR, JUST CAME ON LINE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS SO IT’S JUST BEING ROLLED OUT TO SCHOOLS SO WE’LL WAIT AND SEE HOW MANY SCHOOLS ARE GOING TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT. ON THE CALL, EDUCATORS ASKED IF ANY REMAINING GRANT MONEY WOULD BE ALLOWED TO COVER COVID-19 INITIATIVES OUTSIDE OF TESTING. >> WHEN YOU HAVE A GRANT PROGRAM LIKE THAT IT’S VERY NARROWLY CONSTRUCTED SO THAT YOU HAVE TO USE THE FUNDS IN THE WAY THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INSTRUCTS YOU TO USE THEM. AS SOME FAMILIES RETURNED FROM VACATIONS. THE TOPIC OF QUARANTINES AROSE. IN PARTICULAR, WHAT PARAMETERS WOULD ALLOW A SCHOOL TO REQUEST A QUARANTINE WAIVER IF A CLASSROOM OR OTHER LARGE COHORT WAS IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE VIRUS? >> LET’S SAY IT’S THE ENTIRE TRACK TEAM THEN THEY WOULD SEEK , A WAIVER FROM THE DEPARTMENT. IF THAT WERE TO LAST MORE THAN 48 HOURS, WE WOULD REVIEW TH , DISCUSSING IT BOTH WITH PUBLIC HEALTH, AS WELL AS THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE IN DETERMINING , WHETHER OR NOT THAT WAIVER WOULD BE GRANTED. >> EDELBLUT SAYS THERE HAS ONLY BE