Vinton Elementary School is testing a four-day school week. Photo courtesy of Vinton Elementary School.

News Release

LAFAYETTE — Vinton Elementary School in Lafayette is the first school in Indiana to test a four-day school week.

Vinton Elementary School is offering this new school calendar due to research that a four-day school week can reduce absences and disciplinary referrals and increase morale. This decision was made after board and teacher discussion, parent surveys and research throughout the 2022–2023 and 2023–2024 school years.

There are other elementary schools in the Lafayette School Corporation that students are welcome to transfer to if the schedule does not work for their families.

The schedule for students will be 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Monday through Thursday, with a three-day weekend. In the case of Monday holidays, school will meet Tuesday through Friday.

The Indiana Department of Education requires a school year to be 54,000 minutes long. Vinton’s schedule will exceed those requirements at 64,175 minutes.

Vinton provided information about day-care resources for Fridays, such as the YMCA and Bethany Child Care.

According to a slideshow provided by the school district, the program will be evaluated by standardized assessments, student/parent/teacher surveys, attendance records and disciplinary reports.