These Privacy Terms govern the access to and use of all services, features and content made available through or in connection with Rowan County Home School Association | RCHSA.com | RCHSA (“Organization,” “we,” “us”) websites and online facilities (collectively, the “Site”).

RCHSA takes your trust-and your right to privacy-very seriously. The following privacy policy outlines for your review the type of information we gather-and how we use it-from members, registered users and visitors of the RCHSA.com websites and related areas and services including the RCHSA email (firehose/offtopic) services.

CHILDREN’S PRIVACY. Organization is concerned about the safety and privacy of children online. We make commercially reasonable efforts to comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA). COPPA and its accompanying FTC regulations establish United States federal law that protects the privacy of children using the Internet. We do not knowingly contact or collect personal information from children under 13, and kids known to be under the age of 13 are prohibited from becoming members without written parental/guardian concent. It is possible, however, that by fraud or deception by others we may receive information from children under 13. If we are notified of this, as soon as we verify the information, we will immediately obtain parental consent or else delete the information from our servers. Organization encourages parents to monitor and participate in your kids’ activities on the Internet. If you want to notify us of our receipt of information by children under 13, please do so by e-mailing us.

WHAT INFORMATION DO WE COLLECT? The Site has areas and features where you submit and/or where we collect your Personally Identifiable Information, as well as Personally Identifiable Information relating to third parties – such as your child (a participant) or his/her other guardians. To the extent that you provide us with this information, you represent and warrant that you have the right to do so.

You can visit certain areas of the Site without telling us who you are or revealing any Personally Identifiable Information (unless you choose to transact business or to request or supply information through the Site).

If you register to become a member of the Site, you may be required to provide us with certain Personally Identifiable Information. Information we may request includes, among other information, your name, contact and billing information, as well as information about the participant (that may vary by type of program), including certain physical attributes, school information, age and relevant experience. This information enables us to operate the Site and provide the services you have requested. For example, as a member, you may receive updated information from us about field trip programs (such as tours and learning experiences), and can transact business through the Site (such as registering your child to attend a field trip, or buying a t-shirt online). If you choose not to provide the requested Personally Identifiable Information, you will not be able to access or use the Member Areas.

RCHSA.com gathers two types of information:

  1. Account Information: Information that you have provided to RCHSA for the purpose of maintaining an account with RCHSA as a member, leader, e-mail subscriber or other relationship. Account information may be required in order to receive access to certain information or services. Account information can include both demographic information (name, address, phone number, zip code, email address, etc.) and preference information (username, password, etc.),
  2. Usage information: Information that is automatically provided by each user’s browser for each page requested on our site (commonly referred to as web site log data).

Account Data Use
Account data will not be sold, rented, or donated to anyone other than RCHSA and entities acting on behalf of RCHSA, except to the extent necessary or appropriate to comply with applicable laws or in legal proceedings where such information is relevant.

Usage Data Use
RCHSA’s web servers gather and analyze usage data from web site visitors to help with a variety of site management issues. None of the usage data collected will be used in conjunction with or related to your personal identity in anyway. For example, we use log data to:

  • diagnose problems with our server,
  • evaluate the sources of our user traffic (ie. where site visitors clicked from to reach us),
  • determine traffic patterns through our site (to build better internal links and improve your ability to find what you want),
  • understand and optimize our site for the broadest selection of browser types (again, to improve your experience).

Cookies
Our site uses cookies to improve our general recognition of repeat visitors and to simplify your experience while you’re visiting us. Cookies are electronic “tags” placed on your browser by our servers to help our servers recognize users from one page to the next; while on our site. Cookies help insure things like:

  • you only have to log-in once when you visit certain “members-only” areas,
  • you can get customized (ie. selected by you) information without having to ask for it every visit, such as geographically specific information.

Cookies are required in order to access any of our restricted access sites. All cookies used on our web site are temporary and only exist while you are on our site with exception for some cookies that you may actively choose to keep on your computer after your session has ended. Finally, cookies provide us with no information about who you are other than the information you have actively provided to us. Cookies also do not tell us where you go on the Internet when you are not at our site.

Non-Personally Identifiable Information
The Site automatically tracks certain information about each visitor to the Site. This information is not associated with individuals in a personally identifiable manner. For example, we track the browser type, operating system, IP address, referring page or site, the total number of your visits to the Site, which pages you visit on the Site and how long you spend there. Organization uses this data to improve the Site, for product development and for other business purposes. Organization may share with third parties aggregated statistics or other tracking data derived from the Site, but only in a way that does not reveal your individual identity to third parties. Collecting this tracking data is a standard practice on the Internet.

Opt-In
RCHSA.com acquires no personal or account data about our users except what you explicitly and voluntarily provide (ie. opt-in). We reserve the right to use this information specifically for the purposes related to your account and generally for any necessary future communication regarding your account or status.

Updating or Deleting
User account data can be updated or deleted on the RCHSA website at the addresses listed below, or by contacting us.

Data Security. 
Organization takes reasonable steps to protect the information that you share with us from loss, misuse and unauthorized alteration. For example, only select Organization staff, volunteers and independent contractors have access to Personally Identifiable Information provided by Organization members through the Member Areas. We use industry-standard encryption technologies when transferring and receiving sensitive personal and financial data to and from the Site. Unfortunately, however, security breaches can occur even if reasonable steps are taken to prevent such breaches; for example, we cannot guarantee that information you provide through the Site will not be illegally accessed on our servers or intercepted while being transmitted to us over the Internet. Please contact us if you have reason to believe that there has been any breach of the security of the Site.

Sole Statement. 
This Privacy Policy is the sole authorized statement of our practices with respect to the online collection and use of Personally Identifiable Information. Any summaries of this Privacy Policy generated by third-party software or otherwise (for example, in connection with the “Platform for Privacy Preferences” or “P3P”) will have no legal effect, are in no way binding upon us, will not be relied upon in substitution for this Privacy Policy, and neither supersede nor modify this Privacy Policy.

ACCEPTANCE OF PRIVACY POLICY. Your access to and use of the Site and any dispute over privacy is subject to this Privacy Policy and the Terms of Use. By continuing your use of the Site and by clicking the “Submit” button when you register through the Site, you confirm your assent to this Privacy Policy. If you are unable to accept this Privacy Policy or any or its terms, you must not continue to access or use any portion of the Site.

If you have any questions about this privacy statement, the practices of this site, or your dealings with this web site, please contact us as follows:


Postal Mail:
RCHSA
PO Box 535
Salisbury, NC 28145

 

Last Updated 8/12/2020

STARTING HOMESCHOOLING

Deciding to homeschool doesn’t have to be overwhelming. RCHSA is here to help you in this journey from start to graduation. There are steps you must take to legally start your homeschool before joining RCHSA. Click the read more button to learn how to get started from the “North Carolinians for Home Education” (NCHE) website. Once you have started your official homeschool, joining RCHSA may be your next logical step to get all the support you need from local families.

Youthful girls with crayons drawing pictures while sitting by table in the kitchen with their mom on background

STATISTICS

Homeschooling in America continues to grow. As of March 2020 there are about 2.5 million homeschool students in grades K-12 in the United States (or 3% to 4% of school-age children). The homeschool population is continuing to grow at an estimated 2% to 8% per annum over the past few years. North Carolina is growing at an even greater rate of about 15% per year.

Boy and girl drawing chart on whiteboard in classroom

THE LAW

Is Homeschooling legal in North Carolina? The short answer is YES.

North Carolina law defines a “homeschool” as “a nonpublic school consisting of the children of not more than two families or households, where the parents or legal guardians or members of either household determine the scope and sequence of academic instruction, provide academic instruction, and determine additional sources of academic instruction.” (NC Bill 189).

WHAT WE OFFER

Our members will find support for social and educational opportunities which will enhance their curriculum and homeschooling experience.

Cute little girl in a blue apron. Child painting at home

WHO IS RCHSA

The Rowan County Home School Association (RCHSA) is a Christ-centered homeschool support group serving Rowan County North Carolina and surrounding areas. We offer our members the opportunity to participate in academic programs and social activities that strengthen and promote traditional family values.

WHAT IS HOMESCHOOLING

Homeschooling is a form of education in which parents teach their children at home instead of sending them to a traditional public or private school. Families choose to homeschool for a variety of reasons, including special needs of children, dissatisfaction with the educational options available, different religious or educational philosophies, and the belief that children are not progressing within the traditional school structure.

Close up of mother helping her child with homework