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Oxnard board opens community-led renaming process for Cesar Chavez School, selects two trustees for advisory committee
Summary
The Oxnard School District outlined a community-driven process to select a new name for Cesar Chavez Elementary, including a survey (Apr. 27–May 8) and a Community Advisory Committee with student, staff, family and neighborhood representation; the board named Trustees Madrigal Lopez and Salas as district representatives.
The Oxnard School District Board on April 15 opened a community-driven process to consider a new name for Cesar Chavez Elementary School and approved trustee representation on a Community Advisory Committee that will vet nominations and make recommendations to the board.
Superintendent Dejena (presenting) described a three-part process that will include a public survey planned to open April 27 and close May 8, three community listening sessions (students, staff and families), outreach to alumni and neighborhood groups, and background research on nominated names. The district said facilitators from Equity Praxis would help structure discussions and apply screening filters so recommendations reflect school values and history.
Members of the public urged the board to consider local nominees. Miguel Rodriguez and Marielena Saldanial Donna spoke in favor of naming the school after Dr. Javier Gomez, a longtime local educator and founder of a cultural arts center, saying that the district should choose a name students can pronounce and feel proud of. Marielena Saldanial Donna characterized Dr. Gomez as “well vetted in this community” and noted his decades of mentorship and free programming for youth.
Trustees discussed committee composition and the need for neighborhood representation, language access and timing for evening meetings to increase participation. Trustee Madrigal Lopez emphasized that committee members should be tied to the Chavez neighborhood; Trustee Salas and others urged inclusion of historians and university subject-matter experts to ensure contextual research informs decisions.
The board voted to appoint Trustees Madrigal Lopez and Salas as the district representatives to the committee. The committee is planned to include 3–5 parents, teachers and classified staff from the school site, students, representatives from community organizations (PTA, Padres Juntos, NAACP, housing authority and others), and a trustee liaison. Trustees said the committee is advisory; any final naming decisions will return to the full board.
The board framed the effort as a multi-month process: staff aim to bring a recommendation to the board in the fall after committee deliberations and further research. The district said it will publish survey materials online and provide translation and interpretation services for community input.
