NASHUA – The Nashua Board of Education formally approved a plan for student athletes to compete in all fall interscholastic sports at the high school and middle school levels on Wednesday night.

The 7-1 vote in favor followed an extensive presentation by Nashua Athletics Director Lisa Gingras which included health and safety protocols, fan participation, etc.

The approval gives Gingras the go-ahead, once its determined what other districts are doing, to come up with schedules for football, golf, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls soccer, field hockey, girls volleyball, and unified sports at the high school level plus the various sports at the middle school level as well. The first day to for all teams to practice at the high school level, set by the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association, is Sept. 8.

“I think you made a lot of students, coaches, and families very happy this evening,” Gingras said to the board members following the vote at the virtual meeting.

The one dissenting vote was based on wanting more information on the entire school budget. An earlier vote to table Gingras’ proposal until more information on the transportation budget was known was defeated by a 5-3 count.