This report describes a framework for exploring the processes of resilience in students at Stanton Elementary School, an urban public school in Washington, D.C. Investigators for the Center for Research on the Education of Students Placed at Risk invited Stanton to participate in a study of exposure to stress, including violence, and its relationship to psychosocial and school success, and agreed to become one of the school's community partners and provide information for purposes of professional development and continuous school improvement. The first section of the report describes the current environment in the school and the community; the second discusses Stanton's evolving resilience approach; and the third presents the conceptual framework that links school improvement to student resilience. The report concludes with reflections in the benefits of the approach for Stanton's community of students, family, and staff and considers implications for adapting the framework in other school settings. Three appendixes contain a report on a study assessing risk and protective factors for 263 of Stanton's children, a list of protective factors for Stanton students, and a table showing how Stanton students rate motivation for reading. (Contains 7 tables, 2 figures, and 30 references.) (Author/SLD)