Universal School is committed to protecting the privacy of our students, families, staff, and visitors. This policy explains clearly how we collect, use, safeguard, and share personal information — and the rights you hold.
Section 01
Introduction
Universal School ("we," "us," or "the School") is a K–12 institution founded in 1958, currently located in Aramoun, Mount Lebanon. We are deeply committed to protecting the privacy of all personal information entrusted to us by students, parents, guardians, staff, and website visitors.
This Privacy Policy describes what information we collect, how we use and protect it, with whom we share it, and the rights available to you. By enrolling your child, using our website, or interacting with our services, you agree to the practices described in this policy.
Our Commitment
We treat all student and family data with the highest level of care. Information is collected only for legitimate educational purposes and is never sold, marketed, or disclosed to unauthorized parties.
Section 02
Information We Collect
Student Information
Enrollment and registration data
Academic records and assessments
Health and medical information
Attendance and behavior records
Photos and videos (with consent)
Emergency contact information
Parent / Guardian Information
Contact details (phone, email, address)
Financial and billing information
Communication preferences
Volunteer background check data
Website Visitors
IP addresses and browsing data
Cookies for website functionality
Form submissions and inquiries
Section 03
How We Use Information
Used For
Educational instruction and assessment
Student safety and wellbeing
Communication with families
Legal and regulatory compliance
School operations and improvement
Never Used For
Marketing to third parties
Selling data to data brokers
Purposes unrelated to education
Commercial profiling of students
Unauthorized public disclosure
Section 04
Information Sharing
We Share Only With
Teachers and staff (need-to-know basis)
Authorized educational partners (e.g. Rosedale)
Government bodies when required by law
Third parties with explicit parental consent
We Never
Sell student information
Share with marketers or advertisers
Disclose records publicly without consent
Transfer data to unauthorized entities
Section 05
Photo & Media Use
Student photos and videos may be used for educational and promotional purposes. Parental consent is required before any student image is used publicly. Consent may be provided or withdrawn at any time by contacting the school office.
Where Photos May Appear
School website and official social media channels
School publications and newsletters
Promotional materials and campus media gallery
Consent-First Policy
Students whose parents have not granted photo consent will not be photographed or included in any published material. Consent is opt-in and may be revoked at any time without penalty.
Section 06
Data Security
Protection Measures
Secure digital school management system (K12NET)
Role-based access controls and authentication
Regular security audits and software updates
Mandatory staff training on data privacy
Physical security of paper-based records
Important Note
No digital system can guarantee absolute security. Despite our robust safeguards, we cannot guarantee against all risks. We will notify affected parties promptly in the event of any data breach.
Section 07
Parent & Guardian Rights
As a parent or guardian of a Universal School student, you hold the following rights regarding personal data held by the school. We facilitate these rights promptly and without charge.
Right of Access:Request all personal information held about your child
Right to Rectification:Request corrections to inaccurate records
Photo Opt-Out:Withdraw consent for photo and media use at any time
Consent Withdrawal:Withdraw consent for specific uses of your data
Right to Deletion:Request deletion subject to legal retention requirements
We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13 through our public-facing website without explicit parental consent. Our website is designed for adults — primarily parents, guardians, and prospective families.
Student data collected through enrollment is gathered with full parental authorization and used solely for educational and administrative purposes.
Minimum Age (Website)
13 years (without parental consent)
Student Data Collection
With parental authorization at enrollment
Purpose of Collection
Educational and administrative only
Section 09
Third-Party Services
We work with a small number of authorized third-party service providers. All partners are contractually bound to protect data and use it only for their contracted services.
K12NET
School management system for academic records, attendance, grades, and parent communication portals
Contracted
Rosedale International Education
Ontario-accredited OSSD partner — receives only data necessary for course registration and credential issuance
OSSD Partner
Communication & Analytics Partners
Email and analytics tools configured without advertising trackers, subject to data processing agreements
Authorized
Section 10
Cookies & Website Tracking
We Use
Essential cookies for site functionality
Analytics cookies (anonymized data)
Preference cookies for your settings
We Don't Use
Third-party advertising cookies
Cross-site tracking technologies
Behavioral profiling for commercial use
Your Cookie Choices
You can adjust your browser settings to block or delete cookies at any time. You may also opt out of analytics tracking. Note that disabling essential cookies may affect website functionality.
Section 11
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. When changes are made:
Updated policy posted on this page with revised "Last Updated" date
Significant changes communicated to current families via email
Prior versions available upon request from the school office
Continued use of services constitutes acceptance of updated terms
Section 12
Privacy Questions & Contact
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests related to this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please reach out to us. We are committed to responding to all privacy-related inquiries promptly and transparently.
Your trust is the foundation of everything we do. We handle your family's information with the same care and respect we bring to every aspect of education at Universal School.
— Universal School Administration · Aramoun, Mount Lebanon · Est. 1958
Have Questions?
We're Here to Help
If anything in this policy is unclear, or you'd like to exercise your rights, our team is ready to assist. Contact us directly or visit the school during office hours.
