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Cesar Chavez School Renaming Process

Board Policy • Community Engagement • Five Finalist Names

Board Update  |  August 2026

Independent community analysis completed by Equity Praxis Group • August 10, 2026

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Board Policy 7310 — Naming of Facility

Decision authority and roles for this renaming process

BP 7310 is the District policy governing naming of facilities. The District’s Process & Policy materials operationalize the policy through the roles below.

Board Initiates

Reviews policy and authorizes the naming / renaming process.

CAC Recommends

Advisory role: reviews submissions, researches names, evaluates options, and narrows to 3–5.

Superintendent Reviews

Receives the committee list.

Board Decides

The Board makes the final decision and approves the school name.

Policy point: The Community Advisory Committee makes recommendations; it does not make the final naming decision.

Board agendas in March and April 2026 identify BP 7310 as the District’s “Naming of Facility” policy.

Sources: OSD Process & Policy materials; Board agenda references to BP 7310.

Policy 7310: Naming of Facility

Full Board policy language governing school naming and renaming

Original Adopted Date: 11/16/2011

Last Reviewed Date: 11/16/2011

Status: ADOPTED

The Board of Trustees shall name schools in recognition of:

  1. Individuals, living or deceased, who have made outstanding contributions to the county or community
  2. Individuals, living or deceased, who have made contributions of state, national or worldwide significance
  3. The geographic area in which the school or building is located

The Board encourages community participation in the process of selecting names. A community advisory committee may be appointed to review name suggestions and submit recommendations for the Board’s consideration.

Renaming standard: The renaming of existing schools or major facilities shall occur only under extraordinary circumstances and after thorough study.

Source: Board Policy 7310 — Naming of Facility.

Policy-Aligned School Naming Process

The March 25 process presentation organized the work into three phases

Phase 1

Board & Community

  1. Board initiates processReview policy; authorize naming / renaming.
  2. Gather community inputOpen survey; collect student, staff, family, and community input.
  3. Identify core valuesDefine the values the school name should reflect.

Phase 2

Community Advisory Committee

  1. Form CACDiverse stakeholder representation; follows Board Policy.
  2. Review submissionsExamine suggested names and rationales.
  3. Screen namesRemove names that do not meet criteria or lack support.
  4. Research remaining namesInvestigate history, contributions/impact, and relevance.
  5. Present & discuss findingsCommittee members share research and evaluate options.
  6. Narrow to finalistsSelect top recommended names — typically 3–5.

Phase 3

Final Decision

  1. Submit recommendationsCAC sends the final list to the Superintendent.
  2. Superintendent reviews
  3. School Board votesBoard makes the final decision and approves the name.

Source: OSD School Name Change Process & Policy presentation / webpage.

Guiding Principles Established at the Start

The process was framed around community voice, equity, representation, and student-centered values

Community-driven decision-making

The process should be led by and reflect the voices of the Oxnard community.

Equity, inclusion & representation

Multiple perspectives should be included and considered throughout the process.

Pride, diversity & opportunity

The name should reflect respect for diversity, equality and opportunity, and community pride.

Empowerment of students

The process should keep students and their future at the center of the naming discussion.

These launch principles were later complemented by the seven community-generated values themes identified in the Equity Praxis analysis.

Source: OSD March 25 process presentation; Equity Praxis Group report.

Timeline: From Launch to Five Finalists

The original plan anticipated a short survey window followed by 2–3 months of committee work

Mar 25

Board initiates

Board approved moving forward with the process to select a new name.

May

Community input

Survey + staff, student, and family/community listening sessions.

May–Jun–July–Aug

CAC review

Committee meetings, research, discussion, and evaluation of names.

Aug 10

Independent report

Equity Praxis issued the survey and listening-session analysis.

Now

Five finalists

Monarcas • Juanita • Colonia • Academia de Águilas • Cuauhtémoc

Next

Final decision phase

Committee recommendations → Superintendent review → Board action.

Original planning assumptions: community survey ~2 weeks • CAC convenes over ~2–3 months • research and narrowing ongoing until recommendation.

Sources: OSD Process & Policy, Updates, and Equity Praxis Group report.

Independent Community Engagement Process

Equity Praxis Group conducted the analysis at arm’s length from District administration

“Community input was collected, organized, and interpreted at arm’s length from district administration.”

Independent analysis

The consultant states it had no institutional affiliation with the District and no stake in a particular naming outcome.

Mixed-method approach

Survey data and facilitated listening sessions were analyzed together so patterns could be corroborated across multiple sources.

District requirement

A proposed name needed an explanation connecting the suggestion to community values in order to be considered.

The report says methodological decisions — including name consolidation, the values framework, and advancement criteria — were made independently by Equity Praxis Group.

Source: Equity Praxis Group report, p. 3.

How the Community Was Engaged

A broad survey plus three facilitated stakeholder sessions

570

survey responses

~12

community members / parents / DELAC

12

current students, grades 4–7

~30

school staff members

Survey reach

Students • parents/guardians • employees • district representatives • community partners • other community members

Accessibility built into the community session

Virtual format • facilitated in Spanish • simultaneous professional interpretation in English and Mixteco

Source: Equity Praxis Group report, pp. 4–5 and p. 7.

Community Values Guided the Process

The seven-theme framework was developed inductively from community responses

The analysis did not begin with a predetermined list of values.

Recurring ideas were identified, consolidated into themes, and then corroborated through listening-session data.

Community & Belonging

Respect & Responsibility

Academic Excellence & Future Preparation

Cultural Identity & Heritage

Resilience & Perseverance

Equity, Justice & Advocacy

Leadership & Civic Engagement

Board takeaway: names were evaluated in the context of what the community said the school should represent.

Source: Equity Praxis Group report, pp. 6–7.

How Suggested Names Were Reviewed

A transparent screening process combined response patterns with values-based rationale

408

distinct raw name strings

Consolidate

Normalize case/punctuation, group English/Spanish equivalents, merge clear variants.

Require rationale

A suggested name needed an explanation connecting it to community values.

Screen content

Set aside inappropriate, offensive, bad-faith, or joke submissions.

Check support

Advance names with a values connection and at least five respondents.

Not simply a popularity contest.

The report combines response volume, stakeholder breadth, rationale, community values, and qualitative context.

Source: Equity Praxis Group report, pp. 7–9.

Five Names Advancing for Consideration

Committee finalists carried forward from the community process

Monarcas

Resilience • belonging • cultural identity

Juanita

History • community • belonging

Colonia

Neighborhood • heritage • belonging

Academia de Águilas

Achievement • growth • school identity

Cuauhtémoc

Cultural identity • heritage

The individual finalist slides pair report findings with space for the history, impact, relevance, and submission context called for in the District’s naming process.

Sources: Equity Praxis Group report; finalist slate provided by District/committee.

Stakeholders Included in the Process

Community partners, Board leadership, and school-site voices represented in the renaming process

Broad representation across community organizations, district governance, and Cesar Chavez Elementary.

Community & Partner Groups

  • City of Oxnard
  • NAACP
  • OSSA
  • Catalyst Family Kids
  • Police Activities League
  • Padres Juntos
  • PTA Council
  • DELAC
  • Praxis 2 representatives

OSD Representation

  • OSD Board of Trustees 2 representatives
  • Superintendent
  • Principal
  • Office Manager
  • Cesar Chavez Elementary 15 representatives
  • Cesar Chavez Elementary – SSC Chair
  • Cesar Chavez Elementary – PTA President

Repeated roster entries indicate multiple representatives from the same stakeholder group.

Monarcas Academy of Literacy, Communication Arts and Technology

Resilience • migration • cultural identity • belonging

15

survey responses

3 of 6

stakeholder groups

Community values reflected

  • Resilience & Perseverance
  • Community & Belonging
  • Cultural Identity & Heritage

What the report says

The quantitative table links Monarcas / Monarchs most strongly with resilience and community. In the listening sessions, parents/community members and school personnel associated the monarch butterfly with perseverance, the immigrant experience, cultural identity, and the resilience of the La Colonia community.

“Nuestra comunidad ha resistido mucho…”

History • Impact • Relevance

Variants found: Monarcas Elementary School, Monarchs, Monarca Academy, Monarch Academy, Mariposa Monarca, and similar forms.

  • Monarchs are “resilient” and endure journeys that can seem impossible.
  • The community of Colonia “is resilient and has endured so much historically.”
  • Butterflies represent change and transformation.
  • Migration was connected to the experiences of immigrant families.
  • One respondent specifically preferred Monarcas in Spanish so the community could proudly say and identify with the name.

Source: Equity Praxis Group report, pp. 10 and 20.

Juanita Academy of Literacy, Communication Arts and Technology

History • community • belonging

118

survey responses

6 of 6

stakeholder groups

Community values reflected

  • Community & Belonging
  • Cultural Identity & Heritage
  • Respect & Responsibility

What the report says

Participants emphasized preserving the school’s historical identity and honoring generations of families connected to the Juanita name. The report also identifies Juanita as a name tied to neighborhood history, community identity, and long-standing family connections.

“I have a lot of friends whose parents went here… and they have a lot of pride in that name.”

History • Impact • Relevance

Variants found: Juanita, Juanita School, Juanita Elementary, Escuela Juanita, Juanita Academy, Original Name Juanita, plus spelling variations such as Junita/Huanita.

  • “It was the original name.”
  • The name “reminds me of the community.”
  • Returning to Juanita would preserve a generational legacy.
  • The name provides continuity during a significant transition.
  • Some respondents specifically preferred returning to a historic/geographic name rather than selecting another individual.

Source: Equity Praxis Group report, pp. 9, 15, and 19.

Colonia Academy of Literacy, Communication Arts and Technology

Neighborhood • heritage • belonging

46

survey responses

5 of 6

stakeholder groups

Community values reflected

  • Community & Belonging
  • Cultural Identity & Heritage

What the report says

Participants described La Colonia as honoring the school’s deep connection to the surrounding neighborhood and its history. The report says the name represents the neighborhood, generations of families connected to the school, and traditions that hold meaning for students and community members.

“La Colonia is known throughout Oxnard. We are a special place here.”

History • Impact • Relevance

Variants found: Colonia, La Colonia, Colonia School, Colonia Elementary, Colonia Park Elementary, Colonia Community Elementary, Colonia Heritage Elementary, Colonia Eagles, and others.

  • “It’s in Colonia.”
  • The name recognizes “the history of la Colonia.”
  • “Colonia is the neighborhood.”
  • Respondents described it as the community’s neighborhood school.
  • Several student responses combined Colonia + Eagles, showing an interest in preserving both neighborhood identity and school tradition.

Source: Equity Praxis Group report, pp. 9, 15, and 19.

Academia de Águilas de Alfabetización, Artes de la Comunicación y Tecnología

Achievement • growth • school identity

100*

related Eagles / Las Águilas survey responses

93

of those responses came from current students

6 of 6

stakeholder groups

Community values reflected

  • Academic Excellence & Future Preparation
  • Leadership & Civic Engagement
  • Community & Belonging

What the report says

Academia de Águilas (Eagles Academy) appears in the listening-session findings and was suggested by students and school personnel. Participants wanted to preserve the Eagles mascot while representing courage, achievement, and growth. The survey table separately groups Eagles / Las Águilas as a broader category.

“Because I feel like we should keep our mascot, Eagles…”

History • Impact • Relevance

Variants found: Eagles, Eagles Academy, Eagle Academy / Academia de Aguilas, Academia de Aguilas, Soaring Eagles, Soring Eagles, Oxnard Soaring Eagles Academy, Águila volando, las aguilas voladores, and many other Eagle/Águilas forms.

  • “Eagles Soar — this is a resilient community, bilingual name for DLI school.”
  • “Eagles soar just like my students.”
  • Eagles represent strength and being strong and brave.
  • A flying eagle represents students breaking their own limits and being motivated to improve.
  • Students wanted to keep the Eagle because it is already the school mascot.
  • One Oxnard Soaring Eagles Academy submission specifically cited not having to change the mascot.

Source: Equity Praxis Group report, pp. 9–10 and 20.

Cuauhtémoc Academy of Literacy, Communication Arts and Technology

Cultural identity • heritage

7

survey responses

3 of 6

stakeholder groups

Community values reflected

  • Cultural Identity & Heritage

What the report says

The report identifies Cuauhtémoc as meeting the inclusion threshold and links it most strongly with Cultural Identity & Heritage. Unlike several of the other finalists, the report does not provide an expanded listening-session explanation or historical rationale for this nomination.

History • Impact • Relevance

Variants found: Cuauhtemoc and Cuahtémoc. Those variants together account for the seven submissions reflected in the report.

  • Recognition of Indigenous/Native American history and identity.
  • Courage and defending one’s people and community.
  • Respect, dignity, morality, and strength.
  • A desire for the new name to retain a meaningful historical dimension.
  • Student connections between Cuauhtémoc and the school’s Eagle symbolism.

Source: Equity Praxis Group report, p. 10.

Finalist Names & Submission Rationales

Five finalist names and the key themes reflected in nomination submissions

Monarcas

Resilience, transformation, migration, cultural identity, and the journey of students and families.

Juanita

Restores a historic school identity and honors generations of community connection and pride.

Colonia

Honors the neighborhood, its history, families, culture, and the school’s strong sense of place and belonging.

Águilas en Vuelo

Preserves the Eagle identity while representing strength, resilience, achievement, bilingual identity, and students soaring toward their goals.

Cuauhtémoc

Represents Indigenous heritage, courage, dignity, strength, history, and commitment to community.

Nomination rationale summarized from community submissions.

Where the Process Stands

The community-engagement work and committee narrowing are complete; the established process now moves toward final decision

Completed

  • Board initiationProcess authorized and policy framework established.
  • Community engagementSurvey and listening sessions completed.
  • Independent analysisReport issued August 10, 2026.
  • Committee narrowingFive finalists identified for further consideration.

Next formal steps

  1. Committee recommendationsConfirm / transmit the five-name recommendation set to the Superintendent.
  2. Superintendent review
  3. Board considerationReview the recommendation, public context, and finalist research.
  4. Board actionThe Board makes the final decision and approves the school name.

Board lens for the finalist discussion

Community values • history / impact / relevance • stakeholder input • clear rationale for the final name

Sources: OSD Process & Policy materials; Equity Praxis Group report.

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