NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – School districts across Middle Tennessee face a scary reality as they continue to see a spike in COVID-19 cases in the classroom.

“We’re seeing numbers, especially among students, as high as they were during the height of the season last year,” said Dr. Danny Weeks, Director of Schools for Dickson County.

Dickson County schools have only been in session for about two weeks and they already have had 53 students and 13 staff members test positive for COVID-19.

Metro schools have 259 confirmed COVID cases among students and staff. They also have 980 students and 95 staff members quarantined.

In Rutherford County, 70 students and 6 employees have tested positive. While in Wilson County, there are 157 confirmed COVID cases among students and staff.

Williamson County has the largest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, with more than 323 students and staff in isolation.

“It’s tough to see those numbers on the rise again,” said Dr. Weeks. “Last year, we had remote learning options. We had distance learning options, and this year due to some changes in policies and procedures, we don’t have all those options available to us from the state.”

Because of that, Dr. Weeks says it is difficult to contact trace and keep tabs on who comes in contact with who. “That’s been a challenge for us. It’s hard to maintain that social distance like we have in the past.”

Dickson County school administrators are encouraging parents of sick children to keep their students at home.