Little Prodigies Academy ("LPA," "we," "us") is a private STEAM education business based in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. This policy explains how we collect, use, and protect personal information through our website at littleprodigiesacademy.com and in connection with our programs.

We are governed by the Personal Information Protection Act, SBC 2003, c 63 (BC PIPA), which applies to all private-sector organizations in British Columbia. Where your personal information is transferred to service providers operating outside Canada, the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) cross-border transfer rules also apply.

This policy applies to visitors to our website, parents and guardians who register for LPA programs, and students who participate in those programs.

We collect only the information necessary to provide our services. The categories below describe what we collect and why.

We do not collect children's last names, home addresses, school names, or phone numbers through our website forms. We do not require children to create accounts or submit personal information directly to us.

Our website may also collect standard server log data (IP addresses, browser type, pages visited, timestamps). This data is used in aggregate to understand site performance and is not linked to individual identities.

We use personal information only for the purposes for which it was collected:

• To confirm and administer program registrations
• To send program materials, schedules, and updates to registered families
• To send the LPA newsletter to subscribers who have opted in
• To respond to inquiries submitted through our contact form
• To process program fees
• To improve our website and programs using aggregated, non-identifying analytics data

We do not use your information for behavioral advertising, profiling, or automated decision-making. We do not sell, rent, or trade personal information to any third party.

We use a small number of trusted third-party services to operate the website and deliver our programs. These providers process personal information only on our behalf and are not permitted to use it for their own purposes.

Some of these providers are located outside Canada. Under PIPEDA, personal information transferred to a foreign country is subject to the laws of that country. We take reasonable contractual steps to protect your information, but we cannot guarantee foreign jurisdictions will provide the same level of protection as Canadian law.

Program-specific platforms (such as Scratch, VEXcode VR, and Canva) are covered in the consent form provided at registration, not in this website privacy policy.

Our website uses cookies primarily for essential site functionality (session management, security). WordPress may set functional cookies as part of normal site operation.

We do not currently use third-party advertising cookies or cross-site tracking. If we add analytics tools that use cookies in the future, we will update this policy and implement an appropriate consent mechanism.

You can configure your browser to refuse cookies or to alert you when cookies are being sent. Disabling cookies may affect some functionality of the website.

LPA's programs serve students in Grades 4 through 12, many of whom are under 18. Our website is directed at parents and guardians, not at children directly. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children through this website without verified parental consent.

Registration for any LPA program is completed by a parent or guardian, who provides consent on behalf of their child. The only child-specific information collected at registration is the child's first name and approximate age group, for program placement purposes.

If you believe we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child without your consent, please contact us immediately at the address below and we will delete it promptly.

By submitting a form on our website, you consent to the collection and use of your personal information as described in this policy and for the purpose stated on that form.

Newsletter subscription is always opt-in. You will receive newsletter emails only if you have explicitly subscribed. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link included in every email.

You may withdraw consent at any time by contacting us. Withdrawal of consent may mean we are unable to provide some or all services to you.

We keep personal information only as long as it is needed for the purpose it was collected:

• Registration records are retained for one year after the program end date, then deleted.
• Newsletter subscriber information is kept until you unsubscribe, after which it is removed from our active list within 30 days.
• Contact form submissions are retained for 90 days and then deleted.
• Payment records are subject to Canadian tax retention requirements (typically seven years) and are held by the payment processor.

BC PIPA gives you the right to:

• Request access to the personal information we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Withdraw consent for collection, use, or disclosure
• Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal retention requirements)
• File a complaint with the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for BC

To exercise any of these rights, contact our Privacy Officer using the information below. We will respond within 30 days of receiving your request.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the OIPC at oipc.bc.ca.

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect personal information against unauthorized access, loss, or misuse. Our website uses HTTPS. Access to administrative systems is password-protected and limited to LPA personnel.

No method of transmission over the internet is completely secure. If you have reason to believe your information has been compromised, please contact us immediately.

We may update this policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the "Last updated" date at the top of the page. For material changes, we will notify registered families by email. Continued use of our website after any change constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Questions, requests, or complaints about this policy or our privacy practices should be directed to our designated Privacy Officer, as required under BC PIPA section 5.