Administrative Procedure 147

COMMERCIAL ELECTRONIC MESSAGES (ANTI-SPAM)

Background

Electronic messaging is one of the ways the School regularly communicates with parents, students, and staff. Generally, communications are limited to information sharing but occasionally, communication may encourage participation of a commercial nature including an expectation of profit, such as fund raising. Both email and website postings, and occasionally voice messages to telephones, are the electronic means for the School to send and receive messages.

Procedures
1. The Principal will advise parents through the student registration form and a posting to the website that the School communicates essential information electronically to parents and students.
1.1 Parents will be asked to provide an email address, which the School will understand, is express consent to send Commercial Electronic Messages (CEMs).
1.2 Parents will be provided with an email address, school phone number and contact name, to unsubscribe at any time.
1.3 The student registration form will also state that explicit consent to send CEMs continues until the parent unsubscribes, or two (2) years after the student graduates – whichever comes first.
2. The Principal will advise staff that the use of emails is primarily to share information where there is no expectation of profit. When the CEMs have an expectation of profit, the Principal must approve staff access to the email lists of parents, vendors, donors and supporters. No one is authorized to distribute email lists of parents, vendors, donors and supporters without written permission from the Principal or Superintendent.
3. Only those persons or businesses with whom the School has explicit consent or implied consent through an ongoing relationship may be contacted by email when the expectation is for profit. Fund-raising is an example of a for-profit CEM.
4. The School does not share its email lists with external organizations or persons. Any use of personal information must conform to the purpose for which that information was collected. It is a breach of the Privacy Act to use or share personal information without consent.
5. All CEMs from staff, or on behalf of the School, and/or using the School email system, must contain the unsubscribe notice.
I would like to unsubscribe from receiving:
5.1 All messages from Valhalla Community School.
5.2 All promotional messages from Valhalla Community School. I will continue to receive notification consisting of information about the programs, events and activities.

Reference: Section 25, 26, 33, 52, 53, 55, 197, 222 Education Act Canada Anti-Spam Act