There are currently a dozen LAUSD Wellness Centers located throughout the district with two scheduled to open in early 2014 (click here for an interactive map of LAUSD’s Wellness Centers). The centers offer a variety of primary healthcare and family support services, and in many neighborhoods, serve as the hub for LAUSD’s School Mental Health services.

According to the district, 27 percent of LA Unified students are uninsured and 44 percent rely on Medi-Cal.

Says one mother of a Hollywood High junior on the LA Trust website: “when [my daughter] needed to get medical clearance to run on the school’s track team, she made a quick, convenient – and free! – trip to the Wellness Center on campus. Not only did my daughter get checked out for track, but the doctor gave her a full physical exam and offered recommendations to help my daughter avoid recurring joint pain she had been experiencing while she was working out.”

The run/walk begins at 9 a.m. followed by a health festival after the race in Dodger Stadium. A 1k race will also be held for younger students or for those who choose to run or walk a shorter course. You can register or donate to the “Move It!” Challenge on the LAUSD’s registration page, here.

*This version clarifies that it is the LA Trust, not the LA Fund, that is working to develop LAUSD Wellness Centers.

U.S. Department of Education Awards Youth Policy Institute $30 Million Promise Neighborhood Grant
The Youth Policy Institute was one of only five agencies in the nation to be awarded President Obama’s prestigious Promise Neighborhood grant today. Digital Journal

Environmental Charter High in Lawndale Nominated for National Blue Ribbon Award
Fourteen public schools in Los Angeles and Orange counties were among 35 across the state nominated for the 2013 National Blue Ribbon Honor, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced today. Daily Breeze

Doomsday Prophecy Prompts Rumors of Violence in Schools
The Mayan prediction that the world will end on Friday has caused rumors of violence in schools, including shootings or bomb threats, and a few districts have canceled classes. NYT

Stockton School Shooting Survivor to Newtown: ‘There Is Hope’
Robert Young was in first grade at Cleveland Elementary School in Stockton when a troubled drifter opened fire on its crowded playground, killing five children. LA Times

California Near Bottom in Number of School Counselors
As a mourning nation focuses on the need for more mental health support for students, California has regularly ranked at or near the bottom among the states in the number of counselors per student. EdSource

NRA Calls for Armed Guards in Schools to Prevent Killings
The Los Angeles Unified School District, the country’s second-biggest system, has armed police officers at high schools, as well as some middle schools, said spokeswoman Ellen Morgan. Bloomberg

Ed Secretary Duncan Proposes New Accountability Rules on Grant Money
As currently drafted, the rule would give the education secretary authority to demand more information from grantees including project-specific performance measures, baseline data and targets. SI&A Cabinet Report

Campaign Spending to Promote Props. 30 and 38 Exceeds $100 million
Proponents of Propositions 30 and 38 have now poured a combined total of $117 million to convince voters to support their respective measures, both of which are intended to raise billions of dollars for schools and other programs. Ed Source 

Prop. 30: OC Schools Struggle Amid Anti-Tax Fervor
The district’s students have already lost a week of instruction this year and stand to lose two more weeks if Prop. 30 does not pass. But Capo Unified admnistrators don’t talk about that. KPCC

State Supreme Court Wants Arizona Donors Audited
The high court orders a group that donated $11 million to a fund fighting Prop. 30 and supporting Prop. 32 to hand over records. The group is appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court. LA Times

Is There a Plan B For the State Budget if California’s Proposition 30 Fails?
Education leaders have privately discussed fallback efforts to spare schools from some of the worst consequences, especially after the initiative fell below 50 percent in recent polls. Sac Bee

Fresno Teachers Union Lets District Apply For Federal Grant
After a marathon debate, the Fresno teachers union agreed to endorse its school district’s application for a federal grant that would require controversial changes in instructor evaluations. LA Times

Ed Source has more

LAUSD Parent Centers Aim to Boost Involvement at Schools
Los Angeles Unified School District’s parent centers offer free classes that focus on parents’ needs, from helping their children with their homework to learning English. LA Times

LAUSD and Mental Health Partners Get Grant For Trauma Work
The $2.4-million grant will aid the school district’s work with students struggling after exposure to traumatic events. The district partners with UCLA, USC and the Rand Corp. LA Times

Interest in Master Teacher Credential For California Won’t Go Away
After years of debate and discussion, supporters of a new master teacher credential in California find themselves largely back at square one following a veto this fall of a bill promoting the concept. SI&A Cabinet Report

A Better Way to Grade Teachers
Effective evaluation requires rigorous, ongoing assessment by experts who review teachers’ instruction, looking at classroom practice and evidence of student learning. LA Times (opinion)