Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide to Us

We collect information that you voluntarily provide when you:

• Contact us: Name, email address, phone number, and message content through our contact forms
• Schedule a tour: Parent/guardian name, email, phone number, child’s age, preferred tour dates
• Join a waitlist: Parent/guardian name, contact information, child’s information (name, age, date of birth), preferred program type, start date preferences, family situation details
• Apply for enrollment: Detailed family and child information including emergency contacts, medical information, immunization records, and enrollment preferences
• Subscribe to communications: Email address for newsletters and updates

1.2 Information About Your Child

During the enrollment process, we may collect:

• Child’s full name, date of birth, and age
• Health and medical information (allergies, medications, special needs, immunization records)
• Developmental information relevant to program placement
• Emergency contact information
• Photographs and videos for educational documentation (with explicit parental consent)

1.3 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect:

• Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device type
• Usage Information: Pages visited, time spent on pages, links clicked, referring website
• Cookies and Similar Technologies: We use cookies to improve website functionality and analyze usage patterns (see Section 5)

1.4 Information From Third Parties

We may receive information from:

• Healthcare providers (with your consent) for enrollment health screenings
• References provided during the enrollment process
• Payment processors when you pay tuition or fees

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

2.1 To Provide Our Services

• Process tour requests and schedule visits
• Manage waitlist enrollment and notifications
• Process enrollment applications
• Communicate with parents about their child’s education and care
• Provide educational programming and activities
• Ensure the health and safety of children in our care
• Process tuition payments and manage accounts

2.2 To Communicate With You

• Respond to inquiries and requests
• Send administrative information (schedule changes, closures, policy updates)
• Send newsletters and updates about our program (with consent)
• Share your child’s progress and daily activities
• Notify you of emergencies or urgent matters

2.3 To Improve Our Services

• Analyze website usage to improve user experience
• Gather feedback to enhance our educational programs
• Conduct research on early childhood education practices
• Train staff and educators

2.4 For Legal and Safety Purposes

• Comply with legal obligations and regulations
• Maintain required educational and health records
• Respond to legal requests and prevent fraud
• Protect the safety and well-being of children and staff

3. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

3.1 With Your Consent

We will share your information when you explicitly consent, such as:

• Sharing photos/videos with other families for program documentation
• Sharing information with healthcare providers or therapists
• Including your testimonial on our website or marketing materials

3.2 Service Providers

We may share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us, including:

• Website hosting and email service providers
• Payment processors for tuition and fees
• Analytics services (e.g., Google Analytics)
• Communication platforms for parent updates

These service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the services they provide to us.

3.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose information when required by law or to:

• Comply with legal processes, court orders, or government requests
• Enforce our policies and agreements
• Protect the rights, property, or safety of our school, students, staff, or others
• Report suspected child abuse or neglect as required by Washington state law

3.4 Business Transfers

If Hidden Meadow School is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred. We will notify you of any such change and the choices you may have.

4. Data Security

We take the security of your information seriously and implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect it:

4.1 Security Measures

• Encryption: We use SSL/TLS encryption to protect data transmitted to and from our website
• Secure Storage: Personal information is stored on secure servers with restricted access
• Access Controls: Only authorized staff members have access to personal information, and only for legitimate purposes
• Regular Updates: We regularly update our security practices and systems
• Staff Training: Our staff receives training on privacy and data security practices

4.2 Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as necessary to:

• Provide our services to you
• Comply with legal obligations (educational records are retained as required by Washington state law)
• Resolve disputes and enforce our agreements

Contact form inquiries and waitlist information for families who do not enroll are typically deleted after 2 years. Enrolled student records are retained according to state educational record retention requirements.

4.3 Limitations

While we strive to protect your information, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but will notify you of any data breaches as required by law.

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

5.1 What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit our website. They help us improve your experience and understand how visitors use our site.

5.2 Types of Cookies We Use

Type	Purpose
Essential Cookies	Required for basic website functionality (e.g., remembering items in a form)
Analytics Cookies	Help us understand how visitors use our website (e.g., Google Analytics)
Functional Cookies	Remember your preferences and settings

5.3 Your Cookie Choices

You can control cookies through your browser settings:

• Most browsers allow you to refuse or accept cookies
• You can delete cookies already stored on your device
• You can opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on

Note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of our website.

6. Your Rights and Choices

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

6.1 Access and Correction

• You can request access to the personal information we hold about you or your child
• You can request corrections to inaccurate or incomplete information
• You can update your contact preferences at any time

6.2 Deletion

• You can request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal retention requirements
• Educational and health records may be retained as required by Washington state law

6.3 Opt-Out of Communications

• You can unsubscribe from marketing emails using the link in any email
• You can opt out of non-essential communications while still receiving important administrative updates
• You cannot opt out of essential communications related to your child’s enrollment and safety

6.4 Withdraw Consent

• You can withdraw consent for photo/video sharing at any time
• You can withdraw consent for information sharing with third parties
• Withdrawal of consent may affect our ability to provide certain services

6.5 How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at:

• Email: Contact@hiddenmeadowschool.org
• Phone: (360) 259-7196

We will respond to your request within 30 days.

7. Third-Party Links and Services

Our website may contain links to third-party websites (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, payment processors). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these websites. We encourage you to read their privacy policies before providing any information.

Third-party services we may use include:

• Google Analytics: For website usage analysis (see Google’s Privacy Policy)
• Payment Processors: For tuition payments (subject to their privacy policies)
• Email Service Providers: For newsletters and communications

8. Children’s Privacy

8.1 Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) Compliance

Our website is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 through our website without verified parental consent.

8.2 Information Collection About Children

• All information about children is collected directly from parents or legal guardians
• We collect child information only for legitimate educational purposes
• Parents have the right to review, correct, or delete their child’s information at any time
• We obtain explicit written consent before taking photos or videos of children

8.3 Educational Use of Child Information

Information about enrolled students is used solely for:

• Educational assessment and curriculum planning
• Health and safety purposes
• Communication with parents about child development
• Compliance with state licensing and educational requirements

8.4 Photo and Video Consent

We obtain separate, explicit consent for:

• Taking photos/videos of your child during program activities
• Using photos/videos for educational documentation shared with families
• Using photos/videos for marketing purposes (website, social media, brochures)

Parents can withdraw photo/video consent at any time, and we will immediately cease using any images of their child.

9. Washington State Privacy Rights

Washington state residents have additional privacy rights under state law. If you are a Washington resident, you have the right to:

• Know what personal information we collect and how it is used
• Access your personal information
• Request deletion of personal information (subject to legal exceptions)
• Opt out of the sale of personal information (note: we do not sell personal information)

We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. When we make changes:

• We will update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this policy
• We will notify you of material changes via email or prominent notice on our website
• Continued use of our website or services after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:

12. Your Consent

By using our website or enrolling in our program, you consent to the collection, use, and sharing of your information as described in this Privacy Policy.

For enrolled families, you will be asked to provide explicit written consent during the enrollment process for specific uses of your child’s information, including:

• Health and medical information sharing
• Emergency contact procedures
• Photo and video documentation
• Communication with external providers (with your authorization)