As high school students in Huntsville City Schools head back to the classroom, high schoolers in Madison City Schools are not. That's because 15 people tested positive for coronavirus in the district and 170 are in quarantine.

Of those 15 people who tested positive, nine are students on the Bob Jones High School football team.

Superintendent Dr. Ed Nichols says teachers are quarantining and there's not enough substitute teachers to fill in, so he felt the need to delay the high school rotation.

Nichols told WAAY 31 the district has fewer substitutes this year compared to previous years.

He says Madison is a small community and right now, the district is not sure how the positive cases at Bob Jones could affect the teaching staff in other schools.

Positive cases were reported at Columbia High School, Rainbow Elementary, Liberty Middle, James Clemens High School and Bob Jones High School.

A total of 12 teachers across the district are currently in quarantine.

Nichols says if the district finds out this week that there's not a widespread need to quarantine teaching staff, it will adjust its plans.

As of right now, high school students will start back next Monday on an A/B rotating schedule, with Wednesday being all virtual.