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Students and parents urge board to restore Washington Tech extended‑day 5‑10 and to preserve Achievement Plus partnerships
Summary
During public comment the board heard repeated appeals from Washington Technology students and alumni to restore the school’s 5‑10 extended‑day program and multiple speakers from Achievement Plus schools asked the district to continue or replace Wilder Foundation services after the partnership ended.
At Tuesday’s Saint Paul Public Schools board meeting more than two dozen public speakers urged the district to restore an extended‑day program known as 5‑10 at Washington Technology Magnet School and to preserve community services delivered through the Achievement Plus partnership with the Wilder Foundation.
Students, alumni and parents testified that the 5‑10 program—an extended‑day period that offered credit recovery, electives and enrichment—helped them build school connections, explore careers and recover credits in middle and high school. Donovan Timmerman, a Washington senior, and multiple classmates told the board the school’s culture and extracurricular opportunities fell after 5‑10 was discontinued and asked the district to reinstate the program to increase student engagement and graduation outcomes.
Speakers said 5‑10 had provided sports, arts and credit recovery that helped English learners and other students access supports they could not get at home. Several graduates described long‑term benefits: one speaker said 5‑10 introduced him to baseball and helped lead to a college opportunity; another credited the period with improving attendance and a sense of belonging.
Several other public commentators representing Achievement Plus partner schools said the district’s termination of the Wilder Foundation partnership had not been communicated to families and warned of service losses. Achievement Plus site liaisons coordinate volunteers, weekend meals, dental visits, walking school buses, family engagement events and after‑school programming, speakers said. Parents and school staff from Bruce Vento and other Achievement Plus schools said those services support food, transportation and mental‑health needs; staff members warned that social workers and counselors cannot absorb the full workload if the partnership ends.
District staff and board members acknowledged the concerns and said the future of Achievement Plus supports and any replacement services will require careful planning; district staff told speakers the Wilder partnership termination was under review and that some grant opportunities may be available to preserve services. Several speakers asked the board to direct administration to share a plan explaining which services will be continued and who will coordinate them.
Ending: Board members said they would follow up with administration about the specific service gaps and asked staff to return with more details; no formal vote was taken on the public comments themselves.
