This guide presents a brief summary of the research on violence prevention and intervention and crisis response in schools. It tells school communities: (1) what to look for--the early warning signs that relate to violence and other troubling student behavior; and (2) what to do--the action steps that school communities can take to prevent violence and other troubling behaviors, to intervene and get help for troubled children, and to respond to school violence when it occurs. Sections in this guide include: (1) "Introduction," describing the rationale for the guide and suggesting how it can be used by schools to develop a plan of action; (2) "Characteristics of a School That Is Safe and Responsive to All Children," describing characteristics of schools that support prevention, appropriate intervention, and effective crisis response; (3) "Early Warning Signs," presenting early warning signs of a troubled student, imminent warning signs, and the principles that ensure these signs will not be misinterpreted (concludes with a brief description of using the signs to shape intervention practices); (4) "Getting Help for Troubled Children," describing what to do when intervening early with students who are at risk for behavioral problems, when responding with intensive interventions for individual children, and when providing a foundation to prevent and reduce violent behavior; (5) "Developing a Prevention and Response Plan," offering suggestions for such plans; (6) "Responding to Crisis," describing what to do when intervening during a crisis to ensure safety and when responding in the aftermath of crisis; (7) "Conclusion"; and (8) "Methodology, Contributors and Research Support," describing the rigorous development and review process used in producing the guide, and providing information about the project's World Wide Web site. A final section lists resources that can be contacted for more information. (AA)