Assistance to school principals in preparing their schools to respond to the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) issue is provided in this booklet. The first section offers background information on the following: facts about AIDS/HIV; youth risk factors; knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of Canadian youth; the content of AIDS education programs; issues in the goals of such programs; the school role; overcoming external and internal constraints; community relations; and recent Canadian responses. Many of the topics in the second section are presented as guides or in the form of questions, and include criteria for school preparedness and health program evaluation, program director selection and evaluation, controversy management, AIDS reference material, maintaining a safe school environment, and handling disclosures of infection. The third section describes strategies for preparing the school board and community, and the final section outlines Department of Education directives, provincial and territorial guidelines, and school board policies and procedures. Highlights of the report include data from the Canada Youth and AIDS study, a discussion of appropriate content of AIDS programs, advice on controversial issues, action checklists, and policy development from the "front line." (LMI)