This book attempts to dispel the myths and misconceptions surrounding the lessons learned from national school violence crises and shifting security threat trends. Its objective is to deliver balanced, practical, and cost-effective steps for preventing and managing school crises, including how to recognize "red flag" warnings of potential violence; how to avoid the pitfalls of "profiling"; how to coordinate with police, fire, and other public safety agencies; how to access, manage, and record threats of violence; how to form crisis teams; how to identify roles for key members; how to prepare guidelines for managing natural and man-made crises, conduct evacuation, lockdowns, and crisis exercises; and how to assess and enhance school communication capabilities. The book includes comprehensive resources: a detailed checklist for safe school planning, critical questions for selecting school security consultants, sample crisis scenarios, and an outline of minimum crisis guideline components. (Contains 20 references.) (DFR)