Privacy

Privacy Policy Statement of German Swiss International School

(A) Statement of policy

Privacy policy statement
German Swiss International School (“GSIS”) respects personal data and is committed to complying with the requirements of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486). You may be invited to provide personal data to GSIS on a voluntary basis. GSIS will specify the collection purpose and intended usage of your data when it invites you to provide such information. Personal data are kept for the fulfilment of the purpose or its directly related purpose for which the data are used.

(B) Statement of practice

Kinds of Personal Data Held & Main Purposes of keeping Personal Data

There are five general categories of personal data held by GSIS:

1. Student Information
   Student information, which includes information supplied by students and parents, is collected in connection with student application for admission, for registration, academic, administrative, alumni management, research, statistical and marketing purposes for GSIS. Student records are kept for purposes that include corresponding with, responding to and taking follow-up actions in respect of students, contacts and communications activities. The data will be solely handled by GSIS staff but may be disseminated to an authorized third party providing services to GSIS, in relation to the above purposes, other purposes as allowed by GSIS or as required by the law from time to time. These third parties include organizations such as trip advisers, local and overseas educational institutions, examination authorities and government departments.
2. Personnel Information
   Personnel information, which includes personal particulars, job descriptions, details of compensation and benefits, performance appraisals, references and disciplinary matters relating to job applicants, employees and former employees of GSIS. Personnel records of employees are kept for human resource management purposes, relating to matters such as employees’ terms of employment, performance appraisal, providing references, professional development, discipline and termination.
3. Other Records
   Other records, which include administration and other files, contain personal data provided to GSIS by individuals for purposes other than those connected with students, contacts, communications or employment. Other records are kept to enable GSIS to carry out various functions and activities which vary according to the nature of the purpose for which such records are to be used, including the administration of GSIS functions and activities, seeking advice on operational matters, undertaking communications and training activities organised by, or on behalf of, GSIS, including the acquisition of services and handling of enquiries from members of the public.
4. Visual Materials
   GSIS will take photos and videos of students within the classroom and at school related events. GSIS will use the visual material(s) – including any images, video, text, photographs, graphics or audio to enable GSIS, the school community and members of the public to have a better understanding of how students are learning, and for the purpose of promoting GSIS activities. This may include placing visual material(s) in GSIS publications, on our website and in our promotional materials. In addition, GSIS may also place visual material(s) on third party websites such as Flickr and Vimeo which allow for other third parties to display or embed visual material(s) from these websites on any other website. GSIS will only use these websites as a secured repository and will not display these files to the general public.
5. Records collected on webservers
   Records collected on webservers, which include email addresses (whereas they constitute personal data under specific circumstances that the addresses can be used to identify an individual) collected for newsletter subscription. Records collected on webservers are kept for the purpose of sending newsletters to subscribers registered through the websites.

Information collected when you visit our websites

1. Use of cookies
   When you browse this website, cookies will be stored in your computer's hard drive. The purpose of using cookies is to facilitate the successful redirection to the correct page upon your clicking on the changing banner. We do not collect or store any personal data from you under this circumstance. You have a choice not to accept the cookies, but if you do, certain functionality, i.e. banner redirection, may not be available.
2. Statistics on visitors to our websites
   When you visit our websites, we will record your visit only as a “hit”. The webserver makes a record of your visit that includes your IP addresses (and domain names), the types and configurations of browsers, language settings, geo-locations, operating systems, previous sites visited, and time/duration and the pages visited (webserver access log).We use the webserver access log for the purpose of maintaining and improving our websites such as to determine the optimal screen resolution, which pages have been most frequently visited etc. We use such data only for website enhancement and optimisation purposes.We do not use, and have no intention to use the visitor data to personally identify anyone.

Outsourcing arrangements
GSIS’s internal IT systems are developed and maintained by in-house staff and a third-party service providers. The third-party service providers do not have access to personal data stored in the IT system except when it is carrying out trouble-shooting on it at GSIS under the supervision of GSIS staff.

The GSIS websites are developed and maintained by in-house staff and a third-party service providers. All GSIS service providers are bound by contractual duty to keep confidential any data they come into contact with against unauthorised access, use and retention.

Protection measures
GSIS takes appropriate steps to protect the personal data we hold against loss, unauthorised access, use, modification or disclosure.

Retention
GSIS maintains and executes retention policies of records containing personal data to ensure personal data is not kept longer than is necessary for the fulfilment of the purpose for which the data is or is to be used. Different retention periods apply to the various kinds of personal data collected and held by GSIS.

Disclosure of personal data
Unless permitted or required by law, GSIS will not disclose any personal data to any third parties without prior written consent.

Data access and correction
You should make your data access request by completing the Data Access Request Form (OPS003)
(http://www.pcpd.org.hk/english/resources_centre/publications/forms/files/Dforme.pdf) and sending the completed Form directly to the Data Protection Officer by email at dpo@gsis.edu.hk , or in person or by mail to:

German Swiss International School
Attn. Data Protection Officer
11 Guildford Road
The Peak
Hong Kong

When handling a data access or correction request, GSIS will check the identity of the requester to ensure that he/she is the person legally entitled to make the data access or correction request. A service fee may be payable to GSIS for complying with a data access request. A Data Protection Log Book is maintained as required under section 27 of the Ordinance.

Enquiries
Any enquiries regarding personal data privacy policy and practice may be addressed to the Data Protection Officer at the above correspondence address via email at dpo@gsis.edu.hk.

We keep our privacy policy statement under regular review. This statement was last updated on 2 August 2018.

Personal Information Collection Statement
When we collect personal data from individuals, we will provide them with a Personal Information Collection Statement ("PICS") on or before the collection in an appropriate format and manner (e.g. in the same paper form or web page that collects the personal data, or in a notice posted up at the reception area of GSIS for reference).