Cesar Chavez Middle School Renaming Restarts as Election Clock Ticks

The New Haven Unified School District Board of Education spent the longest stretch of its Sept. 15, 2026, meeting on what to call Cesar Chavez Middle School. Residents split over a local, Latino, neutral or geographic name, and advisory board leaders pressed trustees to finish before November's board election. Trustees also approved year-end financials showing a $2.2M better-than-expected balance. Parents pressed the district to reopen the drained Dan Oden pool at James Logan High School.

---

• CCMS renaming restarts after the first committee favored "Union Middle School" over a person's name
• African American Advisory Board leaders urge a decision before the November election seats a new board
• Parents push to reopen the drained Logan pool and offer free engineering inspection
• 2025-26 books close $2.2M ahead, but enrollment is down about 300 students
• More than a dozen Mission Valley Track and Field athletes thank the district for free track access

---

Renaming Fight Centers on Identity and Committee Seats

Why it matters: The new name would be the campus's fourth, and the process has surfaced competing community identities. The board that picks the name may look different after November.

The basics: Cesar Chavez Middle School Principal Camacho said research found the campus was once briefly named Cesar Chavez Junior High. A new board then chose New Haven Middle School.

Where things stand: The first round ran March through May 2026. It included surveys, a community forum of about 60 people and a seven-member committee. Principal Camacho said "the committee does not recommend renaming the school after another person." He added that "the name that stood out most to the committee was Union Middle School."

Superintendent John Thompson said the board approved the current process in August. That process includes a community survey and a committee application. The board will review applicants and give feedback.

The other side: Eleven public commenters spoke on the item, and they did not agree:

• Norma Braswell asked the board to honor Latino residents with another notable Latino figure, preferably local.
• Gil Fletcher, a longtime resident and veteran, asked the board to keep a Latino name.
• Reynard Smith wanted a name rooted in Union City history and a Union City person.
• Gary Joseph Castro spoke for Hispanic and Ohlone history. Maria Ramirez urged outreach to Ohlone people and recognition of women's leadership.
• Liz Mora asked for a name that identifies the community rather than a person, citing displacement.
• Jennifer Jones Martinez urged a neutral name plus commemorative features such as murals and benches. JP Sahi asked that the process emphasize belonging for all communities.

Original committee members Jennifer Johnson and Adrian Hippolito asked to serve again. Former committee member Maria Gasparis defended the group's work: "We did not come to the committee with a predetermined name."

Asked about Ohlone outreach, Principal Camacho said "there was an initial meeting, but at the same time, we're also waiting to find out what the board's move was."

The clock: During general public comment, Karon Smith, Chair, District African American Advisory Board, asked trustees to decide before the November election. "I'm not asking that we rush the process," she said. Lydia Edom, Parliamentarian, District African American Advisory, said the process had swung too far toward delay and asked the board to speed up the timeline.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The board took no vote on the renaming. Trustee Michael Gonzales said no board member has predetermined a name, insisting "there has never been a closed meeting." He also worried about the first committee: "Tonight it feels like a group got shunned out or shut down there." Trustee Shruti Kumar recalled the board's earlier commitment: "We would check with the original committee members to check if they are available and willing to continue to serve."

The decision affects several groups at once: Latino residents seeking continuity, longtime Union City families, Ohlone history advocates, the original committee and the African American Advisory Board pressing on timing.

What's next: The district will release a survey and committee application, and trustees will review applicants.

---

Parents Ask District to Refill Logan Pool

Why it matters: Hundreds of water polo and swim students are displaced. The district is paying about $20,000 for offsite pools.

Where things stand: The Dan Oden pool at James Logan High School has been drained since the end of last school year. Its renovation is still in design, and the project faces PG&E conflicts.

Parent Christine Hong asked the board to reevaluate the closure and possibly refill and maintain the pool. "With no clear timeline, that leaves us with this entire school year with no pool for our water polo swim team, our swim team, our citizens of the community," she said.

Engineer and parent Guang Zhang offered a free evaluation of the existing pool equipment with a retired district maintenance worker. "Mr. Whitaker and I are both willing to provide our time and labor at no cost to the district," he said.

Parent James Wang asked why the pool closed so early. He asked the district to reopen it until a construction timeline exists and to secure permanent practice locations.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: No action was taken. Later in the meeting, Board Vice President Melanie Freeberg asked about help for water polo families: "Is there anything the district could do?"

Superintendent Thompson said busing and vans can be arranged through the athletic department. He also cautioned: "We don't really have much in the way of transportation for day-to-day stuff."

What's next: The volunteer inspection offer and the request for a closure rationale remain unanswered on the record.

---

Year-End Books Improve as Enrollment Slips

The basics: "Unaudited actuals" are a district's year-end financial results before the independent audit. The Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) is California's main K-12 funding formula.

Where things stand: Director of Fiscal Services Tricia Tao reported LCFF revenue of about $130M against expenditures near $185M. "We are actually closing the year with $2.2 million more, $1.8 on the unrestricted side," she said.

Tao attributed the gain to interest revenue and released encumbrances. The district meets its reserve for economic uncertainties, though special education remains underfunded. The board approved the unaudited actuals by voice vote, with no tally stated.

The enrollment squeeze: "Right now we're at 9,636, which is about 300 fewer than last year," Superintendent Thompson said. Demographers expect the decline to continue, and a smaller kindergarten cohort marks a structural change. One bright spot: the ratio of students transferring in versus out is better than ever. The official count will be set on the state's CBEDS census date in the first week of October.

The state lever: Jennifer Faria, elementary executive board director, New Haven Teachers Association (NHTA), urged a yes vote on Proposition 3. The union describes the measure as an extension of the current tax, protecting about $15 billion a year statewide. "For New Haven, our cuts would be close to $22 million by 2030," she said.

NHTA also endorsed Richard Barrera for Superintendent of Public Instruction. Trustee Gonzales tied Prop 3 to the earlier Prop 30 and Prop 55. He said 1 in 6 educators would be lost without it, adding, "Proposition 30 saved my career."

Why it matters: Falling enrollment cuts revenue, and Prop 3's fate could compound that pressure. For now, the cushion rests partly on one-time gains.

What's next: The first interim budget report is due in December, and the audit arrives in January.

---

Track Club Fills the Room With Thanks

More than a dozen Mission Valley Track and Field athletes, including Mira Bothra, thanked the district for free access to the James Logan track. They cited national qualifiers and All-American honors.

Coach Lee Webb reviewed the club's 45 years, its scholarships and its community service. Board President Shamsa Rafay later praised him: "Coach Webb, oh my God, since 1983." Parent Rajesh Kumar Madhavan warned that bicycles are being ridden on the track and asked the district to protect it.

Why it matters: The turnout shows strong demand for continued free facility access.

---

Minor Items

• Heritage months: Resolution 006-2627 (LGBTQIA+ History Month) and Resolution 007-2627 (Filipino American History Month) passed by voice vote. The district will fly the pride flag at all locations in October.
• Contracts and bargaining: By voice vote, trustees approved IVCMS fields and drop-off Amendment No. 1, a revised CSEA reopener proposal, a conflict of interest code and other agreements. The consent agenda, items 14A–14AF, passed by roll call (For: 5 — Rafay, Freeberg, Kumar, Gonzales, Urbi; Against: 0; Absent: 0).
• Climate resolution: Trustees reached consensus to draft a climate action resolution covering composting, solar panels and MVROP green workforce pathways.
• Board Policy 9200: Trustees agreed to revise wording that could require trustees to notify the superintendent before volunteering as parents. Trustee Kumar raised the concern.
• Immigration support: Superintendent Thompson presented a table of completed or ongoing actions under the spring resolution, which requires a report within 90 days of school starting.

---

Looking Ahead

The CBEDS enrollment count lands in the first week of October. The superintendent aims to bring the climate resolution in October. The renaming survey and committee applications come next, all before November's board election.