Laurel Hill School Privacy Policy

Last Updated March 2026

1. Introduction

Laurel Hill School is a private, independent school in East Setauket, New York, serving children from six weeks of age through Grade 8. Caring for children means caring for the information families share with us, and this Privacy Policy describes what information we collect, how we use it, with whom we share it, and the choices and rights families have. It works alongside the Laurel Hill School Handbook and the Enrollment Agreement, which contains the Media Release.

2. Scope and Regulatory Framework

This policy applies to prospective and enrolled students and their families; employees, contractors, and volunteers (in connection with school operations); visitors to www.laurelhillschool.org and other Laurel Hill School online properties; and users of school-administered platforms including Brightwheel, classroom websites, and Parent Reach.

The School aligns its practices with:

Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the FTC's COPPA Rule, 16 CFR Part 312, including amendments effective June 23, 2025 with a compliance deadline of April 22, 2026.
New York Stop Hacks and Improve Electronic Data Security Act (SHIELD Act), General Business Law §899-bb, including December 2024 breach-notification amendments.
New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) record-keeping and confidentiality requirements applicable to the School's licensed early-childhood programs.
New York Education Law §2-d / 8 NYCRR Part 121, voluntarily referenced as a best-practice framework for student data privacy.
Generally accepted health-information handling practices for school-held student health records.

3. Definitions

Personal Information	Any information that identifies, relates to, or could reasonably be linked to a particular student, parent, employee, or other individual — including name, contact details, photographs, government-issued identifiers, biometric identifiers, and online identifiers.
Student Records	Records the School maintains that are directly related to a student, including academic records, attendance, behavioral records, school-held health records, and similar materials.
Child	For COPPA purposes, a person under the age of 13.
Service Provider	A third-party vendor, contractor, or platform that processes Personal Information on the School's behalf under a written agreement.

4. Information We Collect

We collect information families provide directly, information generated through participation in school programs, and limited information collected automatically when individuals interact with our websites and platforms.

4.1 From parents and guardians

Identification and contact information for parents, guardians, and authorized pickup contacts.