Parents in Fort Simpson, N.W.T., are railing against a proposal to cut some Mondays from school schedules.

The change would be part of a pilot project to re-allocate some of teachers' in-class time for outside-the-classroom work, half for "professional duties" and half for collaboration with other teachers.

Many parents in the community took to social media following the meeting on Thursday when they were informed about the proposal. Discussion got so heated that the school sent home a letter on Friday to clarify the situation.

"This initiative is aimed at improving student outcomes," said the letter, signed by principal Kelley Andrews-Klein. "We all want the best for our children. If we keep doing what we're doing, we'll keep getting what we're getting."

Andrews-Klein also asked parents to bring questions and concerns directly to the school.

"You will not get informed answers through social media," she wrote.

Some full days, some half

The spat originated from a new pilot program resulting from contract negotiations between the N.W.T. Teachers' Association and the territorial government. The agreement states that school districts can cut up to 100 hours of class time from high schools and 50 hours from elementary schools.

In Fort Simpson, teachers and principals proposed closing both schools on some Mondays, sometimes for a full day and sometimes for a half day.

After teachers and principals came up with a proposal to give students a day off every two weeks, it was sent to the Dehcho Divisional Education Council for approval.

Some of the class hours cut will be made up for by shortening breaks like recess and study hall, according to superintendent Terry Jaffray.

While the proposal has not yet been officially approved, Jaffray says it likely would meet the school district's requirements. It would then be sent to the Ministry of Education, Culture and Employment for final approval.

"We want to make a difference, so we are going to try a different strategy. I think it's a reasonable practice," says Jaffray.

Absenteeism highest Monday

The reason Mondays were chosen was that absenteeism is already highest on Mondays. As for a full day every two weeks, rather than half days every week, she says that was done to avoid students missing school altogether on half days.

Jaffray says students in the school district currently spend more time in the classroom than the average for the rest of Canada.

The ministry has previously referred to research suggesting more time in class does not correlate with better results.

"The results are somewhat mixed with regards to the relationship between instruction time (quantity) and student achievement," says an annotated bibliography on its website.

"However, the most robust and comprehensive studies show a weak or no significant relationship."

The change in school days will mean many parents will have to find childcare. The school district has no plans to fill that gap, and Jaffray says other organizations may step in.

If the proposal is approved, it will be implemented in August. That way, Jaffray says, "people will have time to make changes."