Notes on this Issue

Though Horace has existed for 24 years as the cartographer of the Coalition of Essential Schools’ terrain, this issue marks the first time we have explored the connection between health and Essential schools. The lessons of mapmaking and “discovery” apply, of course; unmapped and unexplored regions are often very much alive with culture and history. That we have not thought deeply enough about them cannot negate their existence—they’re real places. And Essential school educators’ understanding of the role that mind/body wellness plays in learning is very much a real “place.” At last, Horace is catching up to significant, long-term work within CES schools that have determined that health in all of its forms must be at the center of a school community, that the health of individuals affects the health of the group, and that wellness transcends all disciplines and boundaries.

Generous with their time and intellect, Essential school educators shared their experiences of how their schools are organized around wellness in these pages, and we are grateful. And now that this long-overdue map is open for constant revision, we hope that Horace readers are inspired to share their schools’ commitment to health and wellness through Fall Forum, future Horace issues, In Common, and additional opportunities both within and beyond the CES network. This issue has been a joy to work on—and now, I’m off for a run!