Privacy Policy

COLUMBIA ACADEMY LLC

ONLINE PRIVACY POLICY

1. Introduction.

1.1 Web Site Owner. Columbia Academy LLC, a Maryland limited liability company (“Company”) is the owner of the web site: www.columbiaacademy.com (“Web Site”).  This online privacy policy (“Policy”) sets forth the Company’s information practices for the Web Site, including what type of Personal Information (defined below) is requested from the user (“You” or “Customer”) to use the Website, how the Personal Information and Data (defined below) are used, and with whom the Personal Information and Data are shared. By accessing the Web Site, You accept and agree to the terms of this Policy.

1.2 Web Site Visits. In general, You can visit on the Company Web Site without disclosing any Personal Information. Company does keep track of the domains from which people visit Web Site and Company may analyze the Data gathered from Web Site visits for trends and statistics.

1.3 Web Site Transactions. At times, Company will collect Personal Information to process an application, an order or provide a subscription (a “Transaction”).  It is Company’s intent to inform You before Company collects Personal Information. 

2. Personal Information That May Be Collected.

2.1 Identifying Information. In order to complete a Transaction, Company will collect certain information from a Customer including, but not limited to:  the Customer’s name, the student’s name, postal address, e-mail address, telephone number, facsimile number, method of payment, and, if applicable, credit card number, and additional information necessary to establish and maintain the Customer’s account (“Personal Information”).  

2.2 Service Quality Monitoring. Some Web Site Transactions may require a Customer to telephone Company, or Company to call the Customer. You hereby consent to allow Company to contact You by any method provided in your Personal Information to confirm any Transaction. 

2.3 Information from Children. Company does not sell products or services for purchase by children and will not collect or post information from a child under the age of 13 without the involvement of a parent or guardian. Company will notify the child’s parent or guardian at the e-mail address provided by the prospective Customer, alerting the parent or guardian to the child’s use of the Web site and providing instructions as to how the parent or guardian can request that the Company delete the child’s registration from the Web Site.  By using the Web Site, customer represents and warrants that Customer is over the age of 13.

2.4 Links to Other Web Sites. Company Web Site may contain links to other web sites. Company is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of any web site other than the Web Site.

3. Uses Made of the Information.

3.1 Limited Uses Identified. Without Customer’s prior consent, Company will not use Your Personal Information for any purpose other than as described in this Policy. Company uses Personal Information to reply to inquiries, handle complaints, provide operational notices and in program record-keeping. Company also uses the Personal Information to process billing and information requests.

3.2 Marketing Uses.  Company reserves the right to provide Customer with information about Company’s Web Site, Company products and services, and related information in which Company believes Customer has indicated an interest (“Marketing”), unless Customer affirmatively indicates by the method provided on the Web Site that Customer wishes to opt out of Marketing.

3.3 Stored Information Uses. Company stores and retains the Personal Information entered on the Company Web Site.  This information is used by Company and/or Company agents to support Customer interaction with the Company Web Site; to complete Customer Transactions; and/or to contact Customer again about other Company services and products.

3.4 Online Advertising. Some companies that help Company deliver interactive online advertising, such as banner ads, may collect and use information about Company’s Customers to help Company better understand the types of advertising or promotions that are most appealing to Company’s Customers (“Online Advertising”). After it is collected, the information is aggregated so it is not identifiable to a specific individual. Company reserves the right to collect such Online Advertising information from Customer unless Customer affirmatively indicates by the method provided on the Web Site that Customer opts out of the collection of Online Advertising information.

4. Disclosure of the Information.

4.1 Mergers and Acquisitions. Circumstances may arise where for business reasons, Company decides to sell, buy, merge, or otherwise reorganize its businesses in the United States or some other country. Such a transaction may involve the disclosure of Personal Information to prospective or actual purchasers, and/or receiving such information from sellers. It is Company’s practice to seek appropriate protection for information in these types of transactions.

4.2 Agents. Company may employ or engage other companies or individuals (“Agents”) to perform business functions on behalf of Company. These Agents may be provided with the Personal Information to perform their functions. These Agents engage in a variety of functions which include, but are not limited to, fulfilling orders, delivering packages, removing repetitive information from Customer lists, analyzing Data, providing marketing assistance, processing credit card payments, and providing Customer services.

4.3 Affiliated Businesses. Company reserves the right to disclose to affiliated businesses (“Affiliated Businesses”) Personal Information about Customers to maintain the Web Site, provide services or sell products on the Web Site. Customer Personal Information related to a transaction with an Affiliated Business is shared with Affiliated Businesses.

4.4 Marketing Analysis by Third Parties. Company reserves the right to disclose to third parties Personal Information about Customers for marketing analysis; however, any information disclosed will be in the form of aggregate data that does not describe or identify an individual Customer.

4.5 Disclosure to Governmental Authorities. Company may disclose Personal Information to comply with court order, subpoena, or other warrants or orders.

5. Use of Computer Tracking Technologies.

5.1 No Tracking of Personal Information. Company’s Web Site does not track, collect, or distribute Personal Information entered by visitors. Through web site access logs Company does collect data and HTTP protocol elements, which generate certain kinds of non-identifying site usage data, such as the number of hits and visits to our sites. This information is used for internal purposes by technical support staff or Agents for research and development, user analysis and business decision making, all of which provides better services to the public. The statistics garnered, which contain no Personal Information and cannot be used to gather such information, may also be provided to third parties.

5.2 Use of Cookies. Company, or its third-party vendors, collects non-identifiable and personal information through various technologies, including an alphanumeric identifier that a web site can transfer to Customer’s hard drive through Customer’s browser (a “Cookie”). The Cookie is then stored on Customer’s computer as an anonymous tag that identifies the Customer’s computer, but not the Customer. Cookies may be sent to Customer by Company or its third-party vendors. Customer can set its browser to notify Customer before a cookie is received, giving an opportunity to decide whether to accept the Cookie. Customer may also set its browser to turn off Cookies; however, some web sites may not then work properly.

5.3 Use of Web Beacon Technologies. Company may also use web beacons or other technologies to better tailor its Web Site to provide better Customer service. If these technologies are in use, when a visitor accesses these pages of the Web site, a non-identifiable notice of that visit is generated which may be processed by Company or by its suppliers. Web beacons usually work in conjunction with Cookies. If Customer does not want Cookie information to be associated with Customer’s visits to these pages, Customer can set its browser to turn off Cookies; however, web beacon and other technologies will still detect visits to these pages, but the notices they generate cannot be associated with other non-identifiable Cookie information and are disregarded.

5.4 Collection of Non-Identifiable Information. Company may collect non-identifiable information from user visits to the Web Site to provide better Customer service. Examples of such collecting include: traffic analysis, such as tracking of the domains from which users visit, or tracking numbers of visitors; measuring visitor activity on the Web Site; Web Site and system administration; user analysis; and business decision making (“Data”). Company or its contractors may use this Data to analyze trends and statistics.

5.5 Collection of Personal Information. Company collects Personal Information from Customer during a Transaction. Company may extract some personally identifying information about a Transaction in a non-identifiable format and combine it with other non-identifiable information, such as the Data. This information is used and analyzed only at an aggregate level (not at an individual level) to help Company understand trends and patterns. This information is not reviewed at an individual level.

6. Information Security.

6.1 Commitment to Online Security. Company employs physical, electronic, and managerial procedures to safeguard the security and integrity of Personal Information. Billing and payment data is encrypted whenever transmitted or received online. Personal Information is accessible only by staff designated to handle online requests or complaints.  All Company agents and contractors with access to Personal Information on the Web Site are also bound to adhere to Company security standards.  Unauthorized attempts to upload information or change information on the Web Site are strictly prohibited and may be punishable under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986 and the National Information Infrastructure Protection Act.

6.2 No Liability for Acts of Third Parties. Company will exercise commercially reasonable efforts to safeguard the confidentiality of Customer Personal Information and Data. However, transmissions protected by industry standard security technology and implemented by human beings cannot be made secure. Consequently, neither Company nor any of its affiliates, officers, agents, or employees shall be liable for unauthorized disclosure of Personal Information due to no fault of Company including, but not limited to, errors in transmission and unauthorized acts of Company staff, Agents, and/or third parties.  

6.3 Limitation of Damages.  In no event shall Company, its affiliates, officers, agents or employees be liable for any incidental, indirect, special, or consequential damages in connection with or arising from this Policy or any Transaction, including (without limitation):  (a) loss of profits or revenues, interruption of business, loss of use of the products or any associated services, equipment, materials, intellectual property, personal property, components or products; or (b) damage to or loss of customer’s equipment, data, or other property, real, intellectual, or personal.  Customer’s sole remedy for any liability of Company of any kind is limited to the actual monetary value of any Transaction which Customer acknowledges may be zero dollars ($0).  

7. Privacy Policy Changes and Opt-Out Rights.

7.1 Changes to Privacy Policy. This privacy notice was last updated on July 5, 2022. Company reserves the right to change its privacy policy statement at any time. 

7.2 Opt-Out Right. Customer has the right at any time to cease permitting Personal Information to be collected, used, or disclosed by Company.  Right of cancellation may be exercised by contacting Company by mail: 7425 Maple Lawn Blvd., Fulton, MD 20759, by phone at (410) 312-5233, or by e-mail at tom@columbiaacademy.com.  After processing the cancellation, Company will delete Customer or prospective Customer’s Personal Information from its data base.

8. Access Rights to Data.

8.1 Information Maintained by Company. Upon Customer’s request, Company will provide a reasonable description of Customer’s Personal Information that Company maintains in its data bank. Company can be contacted by mail: 7425 Maple Lawn Blvd., Fulton, MD 20759, by phone at (410) 312-5233, or by e-mail at tom@columbiaacademy.com.

8.2 Corrections and Changes to Personal Information. If Your Personal Information changes, or if Customer notes an error upon review of Customer Personal Information that Company has on file, please promptly e-mail Company at Email~ and provide the new or correct information.

8.3 Notice to California Residents.  Beginning on January 1, 2005, California Civil Code Section 1798.83 permits Customers of Company who are California residents to request certain information regarding Company’s disclosure of personal information for their direct marketing purposes. To make such a request, please write to: 3907 Lawrence Street, Brentwood, MD 20722. Within 30 days of receiving such a request, Company will provide a list of the categories of personal information disclosed to third parties for third-party direct marketing purposes during the immediately preceding calendar year, along with the names and addresses of these third parties. This request may be made no more than once per calendar year. Company reserves its right not to respond to requests submitted other than to the address specified in this paragraph.

• Notice to European Union Users.  Company’s operations are located primarily in the United States. If You provide information to us, the information will be transferred out of the European Union (EU) and sent to the United States. (The adequacy decision on the EU-US Privacy became operational on August 1, 2016. This framework protects the fundamental rights of anyone in the EU whose personal data is transferred to the United States for commercial purposes. It allows the free transfer of data to companies that are certified in the US under the Privacy Shield.) By providing Personal Information to Us, You are consenting to its storage and use as described in this Policy.

9. Accountability.

9.1 Questions, Problems and Complaints. If You have a question about this policy statement, or a complaint about Company compliance with this privacy policy, You may contact Company by e-mail at tom@columbiaacademy.com. 

9.2 Terms of Use. If Customer chooses to share Personal Information through the Web Site, Customer’s action is hereby deemed acceptance of Company practices described in this policy statement and the Terms and Conditions.