Privacy Policy

Faculty & Staff

Click here for the YHS Employee Privacy Policy

Students & Parents

OUR COMMITMENT TO PRIVACY

Safeguarding the personal information of parents and students is of fundamental importance to us at York House School (the “School”). The School is committed to meeting the privacy standards established by applicable privacy laws, including the BC Personal Information Protection Act and other applicable legislation.

This policy outlines the School’s policies and practices regarding the collection, use, disclosure, and
protection of personal information, including the steps the School has taken to ensure such information is handled appropriately and securely.

Our activities outside of British Columbia may be governed by (and we comply with) similar laws in other jurisdictions, including the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act. We also comply with Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL).

The Meaning of Personal Information 

"Personal information" refers to any information about an identifiable individual that is collected, used, disclosed or processed by the School in connection with its services, operations or administration, and includes information about the School's past, present and prospective students and their parents and family members. Examples of personal information include: name, grade, contact information, educational history and inidvidual financial information.

our Accountability for Privacy

Maintaining the privacy and security of your personal information is important to us. Under the BC Personal Information Protection Act (“PIPA”), we are accountable for the protection of the personal information within our control.

Anyone with questions about how we use, process, manage, and protect personal information may contact our Privacy Officer for more information:

Attention: Privacy Officer, Paige Mettrick, Director of Human Resources 
Address: 4176 Alexandra Street, Vancouver, BC V6J 2V6
Phone: 604.736.6551
Email: pmettrick@yorkhouse.ca
 

THE BASIS ON WHICH WE COLLECT PERSONAL INFORMATION

We collect, use and disclose personal information with the knowledge and consent of students and parents, except in circumstances in which applicable privacy or other laws permit or require us to collect, use, and disclose personal information without consent.

As part of the application and admission process, families are asked to review and consent to the collection, use and disclosure of personal information as described in this Policy. When you supply information to us for the purposes of providing educational and related services to you (or your student), then your consent is also implied. We will seek your consent for the collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information for other purposes where required under PIPA and other applicable laws.

Your consent can be withdrawn at any time, on reasonable notice. However, those who withdraw consent to the collection, use or disclosure of their personal information should be aware that this may impact the services we are able to provide. Also, you may not be permitted to withdraw consent to the collection of personal information that we are required by law to collect and maintain. Questions about withdrawing consent should be directed to our Privacy Officer.
 

THE PURPOSES FOR WHICH WE COLLECT PERSONAL INFORMATION 

We collect, use and disclose personal information of parents or students for the following:

Management Purposes

• registration, enrollment and transfer of students;
• financial information for payment, collection and fundraising purposes;
• to prepare and provide assessments of student performance;
• to provide and deliver educational programs and services;
• to accommodate students who have exceptionalities;
• to facilitate students in making applications to post-secondary institutions, such as by
  supplying transcripts;
• to keep you informed about School events and activities;
• to communicate with you and respond to inquiries or complaints;
• for recruiting volunteers and for fund-raising activities;
• for producing year books, class pictures and memorabilia;
• to assess your eligibility for scholarships, bursaries and awards;
• to facilitate the transfer of students to or from the School, including to support eligibility
  assessment and ensure a smooth transition.

Investigation, Disciplinary and Compliance Purposes

• to investigate and respond to accidents, safety events, misconduct and similar incidents;
• to respond to student conduct issues; and
• to ensure compliance with applicable School policies, rules and other laws.
  Safety, Well-being, and Security Purposes
• to supervise and ensure the safety, security and well-being of students and staff; and
• to facilitate the provision of medical care and other services to students
   

Administrative Purposes

• to make all required reports and filings required by the government and other regulatory
  agencies; and
• for other purposes required for administrative, legal or operational purposes, The personal information that we collect for the above purposes may include the following. Name, contact information and identity information; Emergency contact and medical information; Academic history information and academic performance information and achievement information; Information that you supply to us about your or your student’s health, learning needs, or accommodations that you or your student may require; Information necessary to provide educational services, including in relation to the use of school facilities and equipment (e.g. computers) and participation in clubs and extracurricular activities; Information collected in connection with our security and video surveillance systems; Financial and payment information, where needed to process payments, for fund-raising and to assess eligibility for financial aid, bursaries and scholarships. The School may also produce and share a parent directory to facilitate communications between students and parents, but your consent will be sought before your contact information is included in such documents.

HOW WE COLLECT, USE AND DISCLOSE PERSONAL INFORMATION

The School limits the personal information it collects to information that is related to and necessary in order to carry out its programs and activities or for other purposes authorized by applicable laws. The School seeks to collect personal information by fair, lawful, and transparent means, including by collecting personal information directly from the individual, except where otherwise authorized by applicable laws.

WHO HAS ACCESS TO YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

The School limits the internal and external use and sharing of personal information to what is required or authorized in the circumstances. The School only uses or discloses personal information for the purposes for which it was collected, except with the individual’s consent or as otherwise required or permitted by applicable laws.

We may share personal information with our staff and service providers to support the delivery of services or School management and administration. We do so on a confidential and need-to-know basis.

When a student transfers to a new school, it is common for schools to communicate with each other in order to facilitate a smooth transition of educational services. Please notify the School if you do not want this type of information sharing to take place.

ACCURACY AND CORRECTION

We make reasonable efforts to ensure that personal information is accurate and current, and we may contact you from time to time to ensure your information is complete and up to date. You have the right to request the correction of your personal information by contacting our Privacy Officer, and the School will respond to such requests in accordance with the requirements of PIPA.

HOW LONG WE RETAIN PERSONAL INFORMATION

We will retain your information only to the extent needed for legal, administrative and operational purposes. When it is no longer needed for these purposes, it will be securely destroyed.

HOW WE PROTECT YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

We are committed to protecting the personal information that we collet, use, share and store about you. We maintain safeguards that are appropriate to the sensitivity of the personal information we collect, use and maintain. Such security safeguards include physical, organizational, and technological Security.

ACCESSING YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

Under PIPA, you have the right to request access to your own personal information. Requests may be submitted in writing to the Privacy Officer. The School will receive and respond to such requests in accordance with the requirements of PIPA or, where applicable, other comparable laws.

In addition, parents and students also have rights of access to the student’s educational record. Such requests should be submitted to the Principal or the Privacy Officer in writing.

The School reserves the right to deny access to some personal information or records where permitted under applicable laws, such as where the disclosure of information may threaten someone else's safety, mental or physical health, or where disclosure could be harmful to the personal privacy of a third party.

BREACH NOTIFICATION

We have procedures in place to address and respond to any actual or suspected privacy breaches, and will provide appropriate notices of any such incidents as required and in accordance with applicable privacy laws.

QUESTIONS, CONCERNS AND COMPLAINTS

Questions, concerns, and complaints about privacy, confidentiality, and personal information handling policies and practices of the School should be directed to the School’s Privacy Officer using the contact information set out above.

This policy may be updated from time to time.