The Girls' Middle School Website Privacy Policy
The Girls’ Middle School (“GMS” or “School”) values and respects your privacy. We created this privacy policy to explain how we treat the information we collect and receive from your use of the School’s website, http://www.girlsms.org. Please note that this privacy policy applies only to the School’s website, and we are not responsible for the practices of persons, companies, or websites that GMS does not control or manage. By using GMS’ website, you consent to the practices described in this policy.
Collection of Personally Identifiable Information
GMS collects personally identifiable information, such as name(s), home address(es), telephone number(s), and email address(es). We do not collect any personal information unless you voluntarily provide it by sending us an email, or completing an online form.
Third parties may collect and maintain personally identifiable information on behalf of GMS. Information collected by third parties is maintained only for use by GMS. Third parties do not use the information for their own purposes or distribute the information to other third parties. When a user submits personally identifiable information, it is used only for the purpose stated at the time of collection. GMS does not sell, rent, or lease your personal information to third parties.
In addition to personally identifiable information discussed above, GMS collects anonymous demographic information that is not unique to you, such as your preferences and interests. It also automatically collects information about your computer or electronic device hardware and software. This information can include: IP address(es), browser type(s), access times, geolocation, operating system, screen resolution, domain names, and referring website addresses. This information is used by GMS for the operation, quality maintenance, and provision of general statistics regarding the use of the School’s website.
Log Files
Like most standard website servers, we use website statistic packages such as Google Analytics to analyze trends in how our website is accessed and utilized. Information monitored includes internet protocol (IP) addresses, device type, geographic location of visitors (country, city), browser type, internet service provider (ISP), referring/exit pages, platform type, date/time stamp, time spent on pages, and keywords used to find our website via search engines. This information is anonymous and cannot be directly linked to individual users. We may use it to identify high-use or low-use areas of the website, pinpoint problem areas of the site, analyze broad demographic trends in our visitors, and make decisions about how to make it easier for people to find and navigate our website.
Google Analytics
GMS uses Google Analytics to help understand how visitors engage with its website. Your web browser automatically sends certain information to Google. This includes, for example, the web address of the page that you are visiting and your IP address. Google may also set cookies on your browser or read cookies already there. Information collected by Google Analytics is maintained only for approved use by GMS. Google Analytics does not use the information for its own purposes or distribute the information to other third parties. If you would like further information on how Google uses data when you use our website, you may visit, www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners.
Use of Personal Information
GMS collects and uses your personal information to operate its website and deliver the services you have requested. Where information is being requested and at the time of collection, GMS will inform you of the purpose for its collection. GMS will not subsequently change the way your personal information is used without your consent.
Some of the ways we may use your personal information include:
- respond to requests for information,
- facilitate communication between GMS, current families, and our alumni,
- keep you up-to-date on the latest school announcements,
- provide support or assistance,
- allow you to view protected content,
- process registrations and deliver the products and services you ordered or requested, and
- process donations and gifts to The Girls’ Middle School.
If you choose to provide us with your personal information, the information will be stored on a secure server and we will use that information at GMS.
In addition to its use of information from Google Analytics as discussed above, The Girls’ Middle School only uses the information collected about you for school purposes. It does not use the information provided by you to engage in targeted advertising to you. We will contact you only for school purposes from the information that you provide through our website. “School purposes” are purposes that customarily take place at the direction of the school, a teacher or an administrator, or aid in the administration of school activities, including, but not limited to, instruction in the classroom or at home, administrative activities, and collaboration between students, school personnel, and parents, or for the use and benefit of the school.
GMS will disclose your personal information, without notice, if required to do so by law or in the good-faith belief that such action is reasonably necessary to (i) comply with law including complying with legal process served on the School or the website, (ii) enforce or apply the terms of any of our user agreements, or (iii) protect or defend the rights, property, or safety of GMS, our users, the website, the public, or others.
Do Not Track Notice
GMS does not track our visitors over time and across third-party websites for the purpose of providing targeted advertising and therefore does not respond to Do Not Track (DNT) headers.
Third parties that have content embedded on the GMS website may set cookies on a user’s browser and/or obtain information about the fact that a web browser visited a specific GMS website from a certain IP address. Third parties cannot collect any other personally identifiable information from the GMS website unless you provided it to them directly.
Use of Cookies
GMS’ website uses “cookies,” which is a text file that is placed on your hard disk by a web server. Cookies cannot be used to run programs or deliver viruses to your computer. Cookies are uniquely assigned to you, and can be read only by a web server in the domain that issued the cookie to you.
A cookie file can contain information such as a user ID to track the pages visited, but the only personal information a cookie can contain is information you supply. These files are used for site registration and to customize your visit to the site. The cookie will tell the web server that you have returned to a specific page on the website, and it will customize the site’s features for you.
For example, if you register with the GMS website, a cookie helps the School to recall your specific information on subsequent visits. This simplifies the process of recording your preferences, etc. When you return to the same GMS website, the information you previously provided can be retrieved, so you can easily use the site’s features that you personalized.
Your web browser may notify you when you are receiving a cookie and give you the choice to accept or reject it. You can set your browser to warn you about cookies and determine if you want to refuse all cookies. If you chose not to accept cookies, some pages may not fully function, and you may not be able to access certain information on this site.
Protecting the Privacy of Children
Children under 13 years old are not the target audience for our website. To protect their privacy, GMS does not solicit personal information from these children.
GMS prohibits target advertising to any student through the use of the School’s website or through information acquired from the student’s use of the School’s website. GMS also prohibits the creation of a profile on a student from information provided on the GMS website, except in furtherance of school purposes as defined above.
Consent
Where consent for the use and disclosure of personal information is required, the School will seek consent from the appropriate person. In the case of a minor student’s personal information, GMS will seek consent from the parent unless otherwise permitted by law. In some cases, the School may act as a parent’s agent and consent to the collection of a minor student’s information on the parent’s behalf, as long as the consent is limited to an educational purpose and not for any commercial purpose.
Internet Security
GMS strives to protect your personal information. While no system can provide guaranteed security, we take reasonable efforts to keep information you provide to us secure. For instance, should you make a donation, you will be asked to provide your name, contact information, and credit card billing information. All of this information is encrypted using SSL, an industry standard secure technology. This encryption is designed to prevent the theft or interception of the information you provide. SSL encryption is indicated on your web browser by the display of a lock or key on the browser status bar.
We also urge you to take every precaution to protect your personal data when you are on the Internet. Please take proactive steps to secure your personal data, such as frequently changing your passwords.
Links to Third-Party Sites
The GMS website may contain links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the content or privacy practices of these other sites. GMS encourages you to learn about the privacy practices and policies of those companies.
Your Access to and Control over Information
As discussed above, we will only contact you for school purposes. You may opt out of any future contacts from us at any time. You can do so by contacting the GMS Registrar (registrar@girlsms.org) at any time.
Updating or Deleting Your Personally Identifiable Information
Parents cannot update their contact information via the School’s website. They can make changes via their online forms in the summer or by contacting the Registrar (registrar@girlsms.org). If you have any other privacy-related questions, you can contact the GMS Registrar (registrar@girlsms.org).
Changes to this Privacy Policy
GMS reserves the right to change, modify, or update this policy at any time without notice. Any change, update, or modification to this privacy policy will be effective immediately upon posting on our website. GMS encourages you to periodically review this policy to be informed of how GMS is protecting your information.
Contact Information
GMS welcomes your comments regarding its privacy policy. If you feel that GMS has not abided by this policy, please contact us at webmaster@girlsms.org.
Online Privacy Policy Only
This online privacy policy applies only to information collected through our website and not to information collected offline.
Liability
The information provided on this website is provided "AS IS," with no guarantee of completeness, accuracy, timeliness, or of the results obtained from the use of this information, and without warranty of any kind, express or implied. By using this website you agree that under no circumstances will GMS, its agents, or its employees thereof be liable to you or anyone else for (1) any information contained in or omitted from this website, (2) any person's reliance on such information whether or not the information is correct, current, or complete or (3) any decision made or action taken in reliance on the information in this website or for any consequential, special, or similar damages, even if advised of the possibility of such damages. You understand and agree that certain links in this website connect to other websites maintained by third parties, and that GMS has no control over these third-party websites.
Effective Date: 6/9/17