NASHUA (AP) — 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.

The schools will be closed Monday and Tuesday, WMUR-TV reported.

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.

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.