WPGA Privacy Policy

West Point Grey Academy ("WPGA") is committed to safeguarding the personal information of students, parents, employees and volunteers in accordance with the privacy standards established by British Columbia’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) and any other applicable legislation.

The Privacy Policy describes WPGA’s practices regarding the collection, use and disclosure of personal information about students, parents, employees, and volunteers, including the steps that WPGA has taken to ensure personal and financial information is handled appropriately and securely. Individuals have a right to access any record containing personal information about themselves except in cases where the information is exempted from disclosure under the specified sections of the Act.

WPGA may modify this policy or adjust the procedures and practices when appropriate or required.  

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  • Privacy Policy Definitions

    This policy applies to personal information, i.e., any information about an identifiable individual as further defined under BC’s Personal Information Protection Act or other applicable laws.

    Personal information excludes work information and the name, position name or title, business telephone number, business address, business email, and business fax number of an individual as well as any publicly available information as designated under applicable laws, such as information available from a public telephone directory or from a public registry.

    Employee personal information is separately defined as personal information about an employee that is collected, used or disclosed solely for the purposes reasonably required to establish, manage or terminate the employment relationship.

    • Parent = a parent, guardian or other legal representative of a student.
    • Student = a prospective, current or past student of WPGA.
    • Alumni = a student who has graduated from WPGA.
    • Employee = any person or contractor who is compensated by WPGA for work or services.
    • Contact information = information to enable an individual at a place of business to be contacted and includes the name, position name or title, business telephone number, business address, business email or business fax number of the individual.
    • Work product = information prepared or collected by an individual or group of individuals as a part of the individual's or group's responsibilities or activities related to the individual's or group’s employment or business; it does not include personal information about an individual who did not prepare or collect the personal information.
    • Consent = voluntary agreement to the collection, use or disclosure of personal information for reasonable purposes, which have been made known to the individual. Consent can be expressed or implied. Implied consent is consent that can be reasonably inferred from the action or inaction of an individual.
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  • Collection, Use & Disclosure of Information

    WPGA collects, uses and discloses personal information for the following purposes:

    • To communicate with and on behalf of students, parents, employees or former employees, and alumni.
    • To process applications.
    • To provide students with educational services and cocurricular programs.
    • To communicate with parents (past and present), students (past and present), alumni, employees, and friends of WPGA for the purposes of advising of activities and events and to promote school fundraising and advancement initiatives.
    • To communicate with external parties regarding school activities, including for publications such as yearbooks, newsletters, and websites.
    • To provide students with the educational services aligned with the mission statement of the school, including the student’s school activities, performance, or behaviour, such as attendance records or grades. This may include electronic information on academic, health and personal matters needed by the school to provide the best possible education and cocurricular programs.
    • To provide specialized services in areas such as health, psychological or legal information or as adjunct information in delivering educational services.
    • To enable WPGA to operate its administrative functions, including payment of school fees and maintenance of non-educational school programs, including parent/volunteer participation and fundraising.
    • To monitor the use of WPGA's network systems and the public and alumni use of the school’s website.
    • To administer and/or process compensation, benefits, and pensions. This may include disclosure of information to Canada Revenue Agency, WorkSafe BC, Employment Insurance, and to consultants who assist with processing of payroll.
    • To comply with WPGA policies.
    • To meet legal and regulatory requirements, including the Independent School Act.
    • To administer insurance for WPGA assets.
    • To ensure communication in the event of emergency.
    • To investigate breaches of law, complaints and breaches of policy or the Code of Conduct.
    • To provide a safe environment for faculty, staff, and students.
    • To protect WPGA assets. 
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  • Privacy Policy Authority/Contact

    WPGA is responsible for maintaining and protecting the personal information under its control. WPGA has designated the Director of Human Resources as the school's Privacy Officer.

    Leanne Schultz, Privacy Officer
    4125 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver, B.C.
    Phone: 604-222-8750, x. 1519

    Questions or concerns about WPGA's privacy, confidentiality and personal information policies should be directed to the WPGA’s Privacy Officer. If necessary, individuals will be referred to the school's complaint procedure and appeals policies. 
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  • Personal Information Protection

    WPGA will maintain and protect the personal information under its control and will protect personal information by security safeguards that are appropriate to the sensitivity of the level of the information.  This includes locking file cabinets and training and reminding employees about the protection of personal information, appropriate computer passwords and screen savers to prevent unauthorized access and other reasonable safeguards.

    All electronic information will be stored in confidential and secure databases and restricted to authorized staff.

    WPGA will, before or at the time personal information is collected, identify the purposes for which the information is collected, used, and disclosed. The personal information collected will be limited to that information necessary for the purposes identified.

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

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

    WPGA will outline in the Employee Handbook the policies and practices that apply to the management of personal information.

    WPGA will inform an individual, upon the individual’s request in writing, 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.

    Upon request, WPGA will provide individuals with copies of their personal information, information on how their personal information is being used, and/or names of individuals and organizations to whom their personal information has been disclosed, in accordance with the law.

    WPGA will exercise its right to deny access to some information contained in student or employment files where the disclosure of information may threaten someone else's safety, mental or physical health, or where disclosure could be harmful to personal privacy of a third party (pursuant to the Personal Information Protection Act).
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  • Privacy Policy Procedures

    Parents and Student Information - Collection, Use and Disclosure
    Personal information may be collected, used and disclosed in the course of the operation of the school's security systems, including video and other surveillance systems.  
     
    Personal information about students, parents, employees and alumni (including photographs and biographical information) may be collected, used and disclosed in the course of WPGA’s activities such as publications (yearbooks, newsletters), electronic bulletins and websites. The collection of student information and its storage, use, disclosure and protection is addressed in “Student Records Requirements and Best Practices Policy.”
     
    Employee Information 
    Personal information collected, used and disclosed in the hiring process, including information on resumes and application forms results of criminal records checks, and information collected from references. Information will be collected, used, retained and disclosed as is necessary for normal business operations and as required by law, with notice given to employees.
     
    Information includes payroll and information required to process payroll and to administer benefits, social insurance number, rate of pay, hours of work, deductions, bank information, court orders, medical information, marital status, etc.
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  • Individual Consent of Information

    WPGA 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, retention 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.   In determining whether consent is required and, if so, what form of consent is appropriate, WPGA will consider both the sensitivity of the personal information and the purposes for which the information will be used. Consent may be expressed, implied (including through use of “opt-out” consent where appropriate) or deemed.

    For students and families, consent will be obtained as part of continuous enrolment.

    For alumni, consent will be obtained every 24 months.

    On giving reasonable written notice to WPGA, an individual may withdraw consent to the collection, use or disclosure of their personal information. Upon notice of withdrawal of consent, WPGA will notify the individual of the likely consequences of withdrawing their consent and, except where otherwise required or permitted by law, WPGA will stop collecting, using or disclosing the personal information as requested.
     
    If a person provides WPGA 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 WPGA to collect, use and disclose such personal information for the purposes set forth in this Privacy Policy.
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  • Disclosure & Retention of Information

    WPGA does not sell, lease, or trade information to other parties.
    If, for any reason, personal information is required to fulfill another purpose, the school will notify you of the new purpose before proceeding with the collection, use or disclosure.

    Disclosure
    WPGA 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.

    WPGA may disclose personal information as follows:

    When Authorized by Individual

    • Other educational institutions routinely contact the school for personal information about students. For example, if a student moves to another school, college or university, student records are requested by the enrolling institution. Consent to pass on these records is usually obtained when the student is registered, and parents authorize WPGA to disclose such information to other appropriate educational institutions for the ongoing education of the student and is also governed by legislation.
    • Contact information may be used to enable the school to provide the educational and administrative services usually operated by the school. These services include phoning committees, parent directory, participation groups, parent meetings, fundraising events.
    When Required by Law
    • WPGA may be legally required to disclose personal information relating to family court issues, legal proceedings, court orders and government tax reporting requirements.
    • Only personal information specifically required will be disclosed.  WPGA takes precautions to satisfy itself that the authorities making the request have legitimate grounds to do so by, if necessary, consulting with legal counsel.
    • Student and teaching faculty information is filed annually with the Ministry of Education as required by statute. The Head of School will authorize any such request.
    When Permitted by Law
    • WPGA is legally permitted 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. Only necessary personal information is disclosed.
     
    Outside Service Providers/Contractors
    WPGA contracts outside organizations to perform specialized services such as payroll services or printing. For example, the school gives its yearbook publisher the information required to produce the annual yearbook. Service providers or contractors are given only information necessary to perform those services. WPGA takes appropriate steps to ensure that such information is securely transferred, stored and used only to fulfill the purposes for which it was disclosed to the service provider.
     
    Restricting Sharing Information – Students, Families, Employees, Alumni
    If a parent chooses to limit the sharing of personal information, the individual must submit to the Privacy Officer a written request specifying which items of personal information are to be limited and to whom these items are to be restricted.  The Privacy Officer will advise the individual whether the requested information can be restricted in the manner requested.
     
    Employees may restrict the sharing of their personal information by contacting the Human Resources office.
     
    Certain agencies, by law, have access to certain types of personal information.
     
    Retention of Information 
    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 administrative, legal, business or historical purposes, it will be destroyed or made anonymous in a secure manner. 
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  • Accuracy of Information

    WPGA will, to the best of its ability, endeavor to ensure that all personal information is accurate. However, it is the individual’s responsibility to ensure that the information maintained by WPGA is accurate and updated. 
     
    Updating  Information - Parents
    Parents/guardians should update the personal information for themselves and their children or wards through their WolfNet account. Alternatively, an individual may, upon written request to WPGA, request that WPGA correct an error or omission in any personal information that is under WPGA’s control.  WPGA will, as appropriate, amend the personal information as requested.
     
    Updating Information - Employees
    Employees should update their personal information through the Human Resources office. Examples of when personal information should be updated include changes in residence, marital status or banking information.
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  • Safeguarding Personal Information

    Employees
    In the course of daily operations, access to personal information is restricted to authorized employees who have a legitimate reason for accessing it. For example, teachers will have access to personal information about students but not financial information.
     
    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.
     
    Employee Personal Information
    Personal information about employees (social insurance numbers, medical information) is confidential and restricted to authorized employees who have a legitimate reason for accessing it (Payroll/Human Resources).

    Student Files
    Student files are stored in secured media (filing cabinets, secure and confidential databases). Access is restricted to those employees (teachers, counselors, registrar) who, by nature of their work, are required to see them.  
     
    Electronic Security
    The school manages electronic files with passwords and other security measures (e.g. encryption) that limit access by unauthorized personnel. The school’s security practices are reviewed periodically to ensure that the personal information is not compromised.
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  • Access to Your Personal Information

    Access to Personal Information
    Individuals may access and verify any of their personal information with appropriate notice so that WPGA is able to supply the information required.
       
    Parent/Student Access to Student Personal Information
    Most of the student information is available in the registration forms and other forms that parents complete when enrolling a student. A parent may make an appointment during regular school hours to access and verify student records held by the school. Parents or guardians may verify their personal information at any time through their WolfNet account.
     
    Employee Access 
    Employees may access their personal information through the Human Resources office.
     
    Exceptions to Access - Employees, Students, Parents
    In limited circumstances, WPGA may exercise its right to deny access to some information contained in student or employment files. In considering disclosure exception, WPGA will take into consideration legal requirements and obligations, and relevant circumstances.
     
    Examples of denying access to information could include:
    • Evaluations supplied in confidence by a teacher about student with the mutual understanding that the evaluation will be confidential.
    • Disclosure of a counselor’s notes of interviews with student to their parent on the basis of a threat to safety or mental or physical health.
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West Point Grey Academy

4125 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver, B.C., V6R 4P9
Tel: 604-222-8750  

Since 1996, West Point Grey Academy has gratefully resided on the Jericho Lands, the unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam Indian Band), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) Nation and sə̓lílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nation. Honoured to learn and play on these beautiful lands, we endeavour to be a leader in Indigenous education. In creating shared understanding and opportunities, we hope to help foster a more equitable society for all.