Privacy Policy

Ten Privacy Principles:
As part of Urban Academy’s commitment, the Ten Privacy Principles identified by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada govern the actions of the school as they relate to the use of personal information. The Protection of Personal Information and Privacy Policy describes the Ten Privacy Principles and provides further details regarding Urban Academy’s compliance with the principles.

Principle 1 — Accountability

Urban Academy is responsible for maintaining and protecting the personal information under its control. In fulfilling this mandate, the school designates (an) individual(s) who is (are) accountable for the school’s compliance with the Ten Privacy Principles. This individual is the Privacy and Information Sharing Officer of the school and may be contacted as noted below.

Urban Academy
Attention: Privacy Officer
Address: 466 Rousseau Street, New Westminster, BC V3L 3R3
Phone: 604 524-2211
Email: [email protected]

The Urban Academy Privacy and Information Sharing Officer (PISO) is responsible for overseeing the organization’s compliance with privacy legislation, specifically the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) or the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA). This includes ensuring that personal information collected, used, and disclosed by the organization is handled securely and appropriately. The PISO is tasked with ensuring privacy policies and procedures are developed and observed, providing training to staff on privacy matters, responding to access to information requests, and managing any privacy breaches. They also act as the primary contact for individuals regarding inquiries or complaints about the organization’s handling of personal information.

Principle 2 — Identifying Purposes

Urban Academy collects and uses personal information to provide students with the best possible educational services as expected by the Ministry of Education and the Inspector of Independent Schools in British Columbia. Most of the information the school collects comes to the school directly from parents and students or is information regarding the students’ school activities, performance or behaviour such as attendance records or grades. An example is the registration process for a new student. When a student applies to register in the school, the school will request the information that enables it to complete the registration process thoroughly and plan for the student(s) responsibly. This will include information on academic history, health, and personal matters needed by the school to provide the best possible education and co-curricular programs.

Principle 3 — Consent

Urban Academy will obtain consent of the individual for the collection, use or disclosure of personal information except where the law states exemptions, grants permission, or creates a requirement for collection, use, or disclosure of personal information.

Requirements for consent to collection, use or disclosure of personal information vary depending on circumstances and on the type of personal information that is intended to be collected, used or disclosed. Urban Academy will require families who wish to have their child(ren) enrolled to provide the information required and participate actively in communication with the school necessary and sufficient for the school to meet its statutory obligations as well as provide a safe and effective school experience for the student.

In determining whether consent is required and, if so, what form of consent is appropriate, Urban Academy will take into account both the sensitivity of the personal information and the purposes for which Urban Academy will use the information. Consent may be express, implied (including through use of “opt-out” consent where appropriate), or deemed. An example of this is a request for information. If an individual provides his/her mailing address and requests information regarding a particular service, consent to use the address to provide the requested information may be implied.

On giving reasonable written notice to Urban Academy, an individual may withdraw consent to the collection, use or disclosure of his or her personal information. Upon notice of withdrawal of consent, Urban Academy will notify the individual of the likely consequences of withdrawing his or her consent and, except where otherwise required or permitted by law, Urban Academy will stop collecting, using or disclosing the personal information as requested.

If a person provides Urban Academy or its service providers or agents with personal information about an individual, the person represents that it has all necessary authority and/or has obtained all necessary consents from such individual to enable Urban Academy to collect, use and disclose such personal information for the purposes set forth in this Personal Information Privacy Policy.

Principle 4 — Limiting Collection

Urban Academy will limit the personal information collected to that information necessary for the purposes identified by the school.

Principle 5 — Use, Disclosure and Retention

Urban Academy will only use, disclose and retain personal information for the purpose for which it was collected unless the individual has otherwise consented, or when its use, disclosure or retention is required or permitted by law.

Urban Academy uses personal information as follows:

1. To communicate with parents and students, process applications and ultimately to provide students with educational services and co-curricular programs.
2. To enable the school to operate its administrative function, including payment of school fees and maintenance of non-educational school programs including parent and volunteer participation and fundraising.
3. Health, psychological, or legal information to provide certain specialized services in those areas or as adjunct information in delivering educational services.

If for any reason personal information is required to fulfill another purpose, the school will, where appropriate, notify the individual or family involved and request consent before the school proceeds.

Information collected through surveys or statistical information regarding students will be gathered anonymously.

Urban Academy may disclose an individual’s personal information to others in connection with the purpose for which it was collected, as consented to by the individual, or as required or permitted by law. The following are some examples of how Urban Academy may disclose personal information.

1. Other educational institutions routinely contact the school for personal information about students. If a student transfers to another school, college or university, student records are requested by the enrolling institution. Permission to pass on these records is obtained when the student is registered and families authorize the school to disclose such information to other appropriate educational institutions for the ongoing education of the student.
2. Contact information may be used to enable the school to provide the para-educational and administrative services usually operated by the school. These services include phoning committees, participation groups, parent meetings, fundraising, events, annual general meetings, etc.

The type of information Urban Academy is legally required to disclose most often relates to family court issues, legal proceedings, court orders and government tax reporting requirements. Student information as per Form 1701 is filed with the Ministry of Education. Only the information specifically requested is disclosed and the school takes precautions to satisfy itself that the authorities making the request have legitimate grounds to do so.

The school is legally permitted and required to disclose some personal information in situations such as an investigation of illegal activities, reasonable methods to collect overdue accounts, a medical emergency or suspicion of illegal activities, child protection investigations etc. Only pertinent information is disclosed. The school does not sell, lease or trade your information to other parties.

Urban Academy will occasionally use outside organizations to perform specialized services such as printing, student assessments, market research or data processing.

Suppliers of specialized services are given only the information necessary to perform those services, and Urban Academy takes appropriate steps to ensure that such information is securely transferred and stored and is used only to fulfill the purposes for which it was disclosed to the service provider.

For those families wishing to limit the sharing of personal information a written letter to the school administrator specifying which items of personal information are to be limited, and to whom these items be restricted must be submitted.

Personal information will only be retained for the period of time required to fulfill the purpose for which it was collected. Once the personal information is no longer required to be retained to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected and is no longer required or permitted to be retained for legal or business purposes, it will be destroyed or made anonymous. Information on an alumni will be maintained until an alumni chooses to opt out of the communication they are receiving.

Principle 6 — Accuracy

Urban Academy will take appropriate steps to ensure that personal information collected by Urban Academy is as accurate and complete as is reasonably required in connection with the purposes for which it was collected, used or disclosed.

An individual may, upon written request to Urban Academy, request that Urban Academy correct an error or omission in any personal information that is under Urban Academy’s control and Urban Academy will, as appropriate, amend the information as requested and send the corrected personal information to each third party to which it has disclosed the information during the preceding year.

Principle 7 — Safeguarding Personal Information

Urban Academy will protect personal information by security safeguards that are appropriate to the sensitivity level of the information.

In the course of daily operations, access to personal information is restricted to authorized employees who have a legitimate reason for accessing it. An example is the access to family information by teachers. Teachers will have access to personal information about students but not a family’s financial position with the school.

Employees are appropriately educated about the importance of privacy and are required to follow the school’s policies and procedures regarding handling of personal information.

Student files are stored in secured filing cabinets and on secure servers. Access is restricted to only those employees (teachers, administrators, teacher-aides, counselors, secretaries, etc.) who, by nature of their work, are required to see them.

The school manages electronic files appropriately with passwords and security measures that limit access by unauthorized personnel. The school’s security practices are reviewed periodically to ensure that the privacy of personal information is not compromised.

Principle 8 — Openness

Urban Academy will make information available to individuals concerning the policies and practices that apply to the management of personal information. Individuals may direct any questions or enquiries with respect to the school’s privacy policies or practices to the PISO.

Principle 9 — Individual Access

Urban Academy will inform an individual, upon the individual’s request, of the existence, use and disclosure of the individual’s personal information, and shall give the individual access to it in accordance with the law.

Individuals may access and verify any personal information with appropriate notice so that administration is able to supply the information required. This information is available in the registration forms completed.

A parent may access and verify school records of the student, with appropriate notice during normal school hours. In the case of family breakdown, the school will grant access to records of students in accordance with the legal arrangements made to govern access, care and control of the student(s) in question.

Principle 10 — Challenging Compliance

Individuals may question compliance with the above principles. Questions, concerns, and complaints about privacy, confidentiality and personal information handling policies and practices of the school should be directed to the school’s PISO by calling the school office. If necessary, individuals will be referred to use the school’s complaint procedure and appeals policies.