Privacy Policy
American Virtual Academy has developed this privacy policy (“Privacy Policy”) to share how we collect, use, manage, share, and protect information that we may gather when you visit American Virtual Academy websites for our (collectively, the “Websites”), or contact AVA by phone or other means. This Privacy Policy applies to the Websites where this Privacy Policy is posted and to information we gather from you over the phone, via conventional mail, via email, or in person.
Information We Collect
We collect two types of information: (1) non-personally identifiable information that is routinely gathered as users navigate through a Website and (2) personally identifiable information voluntarily supplied by you.
Non-Personally Identifiable Information
Each time you visit a Website, information is automatically gathered such as your IP address, domain name, the name of the page from which you entered the Website, which pages you view and for how long you view them. This information is collected to improve the Website, remarketing, and for trend analysis. As with most websites, we may use “cookies” to track usage, for marketing purposes, and to improve your experience. A cookie is a text file that is placed on your hard disk by a Web page server. The cookies do not collect any personally identifiable information. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. If, however, you choose to decline cookies, you may not be able to fully experience the interactive features of our Websites or have some of our services on the Websites function properly. Further information about cookies is available using the help function of your Internet browser.
We may use third-party cookies as part of remarketing activities we conduct with Google and/or other third-party vendors, to help provide you with relevant messaging as you use the Internet. As part of these remarketing activities, these third-party cookies may record your visits to our Websites and websites visited prior. Such cookies can then be used to serve targeted messaging to you on other websites. You may choose to be exempt from the use of Google remarketing cookies at the Google advertising privacy page. Alternatively, you may opt-out of remarketing on the Google network and similar networks at the Network Advertising Initiative opt out page. Opting out will not prevent advertisements from being served to you on the Internet; it will only affect advertisements that utilize remarketing cookies to serve messaging on the specified networks. We are not responsible for the activities of other parties that may not comply with your opt-out requests.
Because non-personally identifiable information does not identify you, we reserve the right to use it for any purpose and to share it with third parties for any purpose. Please note that to the extent any non-personally identifiable information is combined with personally identifiable information, the combined information will be treated as personally identifiable information for as long as it is so combined.
Personally Identifiable Information
We may collect personally identifiable information you provide voluntarily when requesting information, catalogs, enrollment, or other materials or to satisfy other requests. This information may include your first and last name, postal address, email address, telephone number and the names, date(s) of birth, and grade level(s) of your child(ren). We may also collect credit card information from you.
American Virtual Academy uses personally identifiable information voluntarily supplied by you to fulfill requests for information, deliver services to you or for your school, or carry out the transactions you or your school have requested. For example, if you register for American Virtual Academy using a Website, information will be collected about you and your child(ren) in order to process your registration. Enrollment information that is collected in this manner may be provided to school districts or other third parties as required by state law, federal law, and/or school operating procedures. Similarly, if you participate in a virtual learning program through your school and the school has contracted with American Virtual Academy , personally identifiable information about you will be input into American Virtual Academy by you and/or your school to facilitate the provision of virtual learning services to you.
American Virtual Academy may also use personally identifiable information to communicate special messaging, new services, or upcoming events, to provide educational services to students and to otherwise support students, parents, legal guardians, staff, and/or your school with regard to matters such as academic progress, testing, attendance, customer service or in the event of an emergency. The information will be treated confidentially within American Virtual Academy , in the same way that we protect other such confidential information.
We may share personally identifiable information within our affiliated companies and certain service providers. They will use this information to process transactions you have requested, provide customer service and inform you of products or services we offer that you may find useful. Our service providers may include consultants, vendors, and companies that perform marketing services on our behalf. We require our service providers to protect your personally identifiable information and to use or disclose it only for the work they are performing for us, or as permitted by law.
American Virtual Academy partner platforms may contain personally identifiable information that is maintained and accessible by third parties (such as service providers, content partners, or vendors). These third parties are provided access to the minimum amount of information required to allow them to perform the tasks for which they have been engaged. Such third parties have agreed to maintain the confidentiality of such information and to use or disclose it only for the work they are performing for us, or as permitted by law. Additionally, American Virtual Academy Student Information System and Learning Management System may contain “student educational records” that will be protected by American Virtual Academy in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”), and we will only retain and disclose educational records or provide access to them in compliance with FERPA.
If you do not want to receive information unrelated to your enrollment in the school via email from American Virtual Academy , you can email us at [email protected] to be excluded from receiving emails from American Virtual Academy . If you do not want to receive any further information from American Virtual Academy you can also call us at 713.974.2066 and ask to be removed from all of American Virtual Academy ’s contact lists.
In the event that all or substantially all of American Virtual Academy ’s assets are sold or transferred to another party, your personally identifiable information may be transferred to the acquiring entity. However, American Virtual Academy will take steps to ensure that the personally identifiable information is conveyed lawfully and in a manner consistent with the privacy policy under which it was collected.
Finally, we may disclose your personally identifiable information to third parties if we believe we are required to do so in order to comply with law (including court orders and subpoenas); to comply with lawful requests from law enforcement agencies or other governmental organizations; to enforce our Terms of Use; to protect the rights, privacy, safety, or property of American Virtual Academy , our affiliated schools, our employees or other users of the Websites; and/or to permit us to pursue available remedies or limit the damages that we may sustain. We otherwise exercise commercially reasonable care to not otherwise share or disclose the names of users or any other personally-identifying information with third-parties, except with your prior approval.
Message Boards/Discussion Threads
We may offer message boards or discussion threads through our service providers. Please be aware that anyone may read your postings on a message board or discussion thread. Furthermore, any information that you submit to be posted to a message board or discussion thread, including your American Virtual Academy account information, will be disclosed and available to all users of that message board or discussion thread, and is therefore no longer private. We cannot guarantee the security of such information that you disclose or communicate online in public areas such as message boards and discussion threads, and you do so at your own risk. Please note that when submitting a review for AVA on Facebook, the words expressed in said review may be used anonymously or, with permission, publicly on AVA marketing materials. This could include websites, social media accounts and printed materials.
Children Under 13
American Virtual Academy is concerned about the safety and privacy of children online. We take reasonable efforts to comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA).
The Websites are not intended to solicit information of any kind from children under the age of 13, and we do not and will not knowingly contact or collect personally identifiable information from children under 13. The only personal information we receive about children under the age of 13 is information provided by the parent or legal guardian. The parent or legal guardian has the option to agree to the collection and use of the student’s information without consenting to the disclosure of the information to third parties.
It is possible that by fraud or deception by others we may receive information pertaining to children under the age of 13. If we are notified of the receipt of information under such circumstances, once verified, we will promptly obtain parental or guardian consent, and in the absence of such consent will delete the information. If you want to notify us that we have inadvertently received information for a child under the age of 13, please do so by emailing us at [email protected].
You can request to review, edit or prohibit personally identifiable information of a child under the age of 13 from being used by American Virtual Academy , its affiliates, schools and vendors acting on behalf of American Virtual Academy by making a request in writing to the AVA Director. Please note that if you make a request to prohibit personally identifiable information being used by American Virtual Academy , its affiliates, schools, and vendors acting on behalf of American Virtual Academy , your child may no longer continue to be enrolled in American Virtual Academy and this may terminate his or her participation in the American Virtual Academy program.
For information on our use of information covered by COPPA please contact us by email at [email protected].
Security
American Virtual Academy takes reasonable steps to safeguard the personally identifiable information you provide. As effective as our safeguards are, no security system is completely impenetrable, so we cannot guarantee the absolute security of our database and systems, nor can we guarantee that personally identifiable information you supply will not be intercepted while being transmitted to us over the Internet.
Contacting Students or Parents via Messaging
When submitting information on a AVA messaging system (i.e. text message through LoudMouth); AVA web page (e.g.: filling out an enrollment form) or social media page (e.g.: sharing phone number through Facebook Messenger), you are giving AVA employees permission to contact. AVA employees will contact parents unless the student is 18 or older. In some cases, a AVA employee may ask the parent (or student if student is 18+) for permission for the marketing team, to make contact via phone call or email. Your SMS consent is strictly confidential and is not shared with any third parties. We prioritize the privacy and security of your information.
AVA Social Media and Public Site Participation Policy
Parents, students, and other users are encouraged to submit comments, questions, and concerns; however, all AVA social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, SnapChat, Twitter, Pinterest, and any future American Virtual Academy created accounts) and its website are a moderated online discussion site. We welcome comments, and expect all users to maintain civility and respect when posting.
Once posted, AVA reserves the right to delete submissions that contain vulgar language, personal attacks of any kind, or offensive comments that target or disparage any ethnic, racial, or religious group.
Further, AVA also reserves the right to delete comments that:
- contain spam, advertising, solicitations, or include links to other sites;
- are clearly off topic, and/or disruptive;
- are obscene, vulgar, or sexually explicit. This includes masked words (***), acronyms and abbreviations;
- are chain letters, pyramid schemes, or fraudulent or deceptive messages;
- promote particular services, products, or political organizations, or campaigns;
- infringe on copyrights, or trademarks;
- advocate illegal activity.
Please be aware that all content and posts that are posted onto social media will be bound by the platform’s Terms of Use.
Comments expressed on social media accounts or Websites do not reflect the opinions and position of the American Virtual Academy or its employees.
Links
The Websites contain links to other websites or other resources that are provided for your convenience. Such links, unless explicitly stated, are not endorsed by American Virtual Academy . The information practices of those websites are not covered by this Privacy Policy or any other policies or terms applicable to the Websites. We recommend that you review any terms of use and privacy policies of any third-party website linked to the Websites before providing any information to those websites or using their products and services.
Further Information
American Virtual Academy reserves the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time. If we make any material changes to this policy, we will post any revised Privacy Policy on the Websites. The most current version is always available by clicking on the “Privacy Policy” link located at the bottom of the Websites’ home page. Any changes to our Privacy Policy will become effective upon posting of the revised Privacy Policy. By using any of the Websites, you agree to the terms of the Privacy Policy in effect at the time of use. If you do not agree to the terms and conditions of this Privacy Policy, please do not use any of the Websites.
If you have any questions regarding this Privacy Policy, please contact us by email at [email protected] Please note that email communications will not necessarily be secure. Accordingly, you should not include sensitive information in your email correspondence with us.