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RIS Statement on Data Protection & Privacy

This data privacy statement pertains to the personal information of members of the RIS community, encompassing students, parents, and legal guardians, whether current, former or prospective, as well as that of full-time and part-time RIS faculty and staff members, past and present, and alumni. 

Ruamrudee International School (RIS), in compliance with the 2021 Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), is committed to the protection and security of personal information of individuals within the RIS community that has been curated and processed by school administration and operations. When collecting or using personal data, RIS will comply with the requirements of the data protection legislation of the Thai Personal Data Protection Act.

Data & Information Collected

Individuals who contractually join the RIS community or partake in community activities are asked to provide personal data to the school on a voluntary basis through various platforms for different intents and purposes, and may include (but is not limited to) the following:

  • First name, last name, and nickname
  • Date of birth
  • Family, sibling, and guardian information
  • Marital status
  • Medical records and conditions
  • Dietary requirements
  • Special educational needs
  • Previous academic records 
  • Previous qualifications
  • Emergency contact person(s) details
  • Home and/or office addressses
  • Personal and/or office email addresses
  • Phone and/or office contact numbers
  • ID numbers (Thai citizenship or passport) 
  • Bank account information (through bank transfer slip records)
  • Social media handles (LINE, Facebook, Instagram, etc.)
  • Photos, images, and audio and/or video recordings
  • Biometric data (employee fingerprints for clock-in scanners)
  • Race/Ethnicity*
  • Religious affiliation*
  • Health*
  • Records of misconduct and disciplinary action*
  • Records of criminal offence*

    *Categorized as “sensitive personal data” under the PDPA

Usage of Personal Data

The personal data of RIS community members is primarily used for (but not limited to) the purposes of:

Academics & Extracurriculars

  • implementing the school curriculum 
  • providing education, support and other relevant services to students 
  • monitoring and assessing progress and needs
  • communicating day-to-day and prudent information within the organization
  • scheduling classes and managing the use of classrooms and other educational facilities
  • managing extracurriculars such as arts and athletics, fundraising activities, and religious gatherings 
  • managing student events, such as assemblies, concerts, graduation, PROM, sales, and other co-curricular activities
  • relaying information to related authorities or examination boards

Administration & Admissions

  •  processing applications 
  • storing students’ and employees’ personal and familial details 
  • maintaining academic and non-academic records
  • maintaining disciplinary or organizational records as well as the school’s historical archive
  • invoicing various school fees 
  • designating applicable support and counseling services 
  • contacting a student’s or employee’s emergency contact if necessary

School management, operations & communication

  • managing the use of ID cards, security systems, and other facilities such as the boarding house, library and the canteen, among others
  • maintaining school and community-related transactions and accounts
  • communicating news, important announcements, and protocols with staff, students and parents 
  • complying with security-related, auditing or regulatory requirements, if any

Consent

All faculty, staff, parents, and students understand upon entering into a contractual relationship with RIS that the school as well as members of the community utilize personal data for educational, operational, communication and archival purposes, and under the legal requirements to support RIS’ operation as an educational institution. In some cases, providing information is mandatory, unless specified otherwise. 

Non-personal information of administrators and staff, including titles, business addresses, and business contact information may be disclosed publicly on occassion. However, personal information will be disclosed to third parties only with the consent of that individual.

RIS maintains its right to photographs, images, audio recordings, and/or videos of its students for use in RIS promotional materials that include, but may not be limited to, printed materials such as brochures and newsletters, videos, and digital images such as those on the RIS website and other appropriate media-sharing platforms. 

The media release and indemnity agreement is a fixture of the RIS enrollment registration package. Any families who decide they do not wish to have their child included in school materials at a later time are informed to reach out to the school’s Advancement office. (These students’ names are housed and monitored under an internal document entitled the Do Not Publish List). Media encompasses images, videos and audio recordings that may be featured on the school website; social media platforms; and school print media such as fliers, posters, brochures, newsletters, and magazines. 

Regardless of media consent that has been previously granted, RIS abides by international-standard child safeguarding and tech/media policies. The RIS community is encouraged to confirm permission with parents, students, alumni and personnel regarding individualized media posts, features and interviews. Names of students, alumni and personnel are not mentioned in media posts unless the content is in relation to academic or personal achievement and has been approved by the participants.

When relating to student consent, RIS often defers to parents. Parents should note that there may be exceptional circumstances in which they will not be consulted, depending on the student’s age and level of understanding. In certain situations, the school may be obliged to maintain confidentiality upon the request of a student with legitimate concerns and what the school has deemed are in the best interests of the student or what is lawfully permitted or required.

Methods of & Platforms for Data Collection

Personal data is obtained directly from an individual on a voluntary basis, whether a prospective student, family, or employee. As an institution, methods of collecting this data may include (but are not limited to): 

  • general enquiries to the school via phone or website
  • application and registration forms (documents or online forms) 
  • third-party service platforms or applications to which the school subscribes to for admissions or operational purposes 
  • various other school and event-related forms, either printouts or digital (e.g. Google Forms, Google Sheets); 
  • documents pertaining to previous qualifications and certifications

Personal information of students, parents, faculty and staff is on file in PowerSchool as a matter of academic record; as familial reference pertaining to the well-being of the student; and as evidence of employment. 

PowerSchool’s Privacy Statement “provides information on how PowerSchool Group LLC collects, uses, and protects personal information. PowerSchool is at all times committed to the highest standards of protection for personal data. [Their] customers (schools, school districts, or higher education institutions) entrust [them] with the personal information of customer employees, parents, and students. [They] are a signatory of the Student Privacy Pledge.” Their privacy policy can be accssed at: https://www.powerschool.com/privacy/

Personal information of prospective and current students is collected via OpenApply, a streamlined online admissions and enrolment platform that offers convenient information management. The system integrates with PowerSchool as a prospective family enrolls into RIS and becomes a member of the community. OpenApply’s privacy policy can be accessed at: https://www.openapply.com/terms/privacy-policy. The provision of all requested information in the relevant forms is mandatory, unless noted otherwise, and aids in the processing of an application and relevant educational services.

RIS elementary school also utilizes SeeSaw, an interactive learning platform for Pre-K to grade 5 students accessed by both faculty and parents. SeeSaw’s privacy policy can be found at https://web.seesaw.me/privacy-policy

Internal communication platforms such as Google Forms and Google Sheets as well as subscription-based newsletter applications such as Mailchimp and S’more are utilized by the community. (Users are able to unsubscribe from email campaign platforms in respect to an individual’s right to object to receiving fundraising or communications.) Contact data is protected by the relevant department. 

Profile images and biometric data of community members are curated to serve the school’s safety and security protocols and systems. The data is protected by the relevant departments. 

The school’s official website (www.rism.ac.th) uses cookies to give the user the most relevant experience by remembering their preferences and repeat visits. The website offers the customization of cookie settings to provide website visitors the option of controlled consent. Images and content of personnel and students on the website have been curated with the awareness of the subject. Archival profile photos of RIS graduates are featured in the alumni section and is a password-protected feature. Alumni who do not wish to have their photo and/or name featured in the restricted gallery are welcome to reach out to alumni@rism.ac.th in a disclaimer to remove their data. 

In general, when members of the community are invited to provide personal information, RIS will specify the purpose and intended use of the data, and advise the means of access to or correction of said data, if needed. The data provided will be used internally (with the exception of that used for promotional purposes and given consent) and not shared to any third-party organization or individual, unless mandated by the government or with the permission of the owner. Sensitive personal data is only to be used in specific circumstances and not disclosed to a third party without explicit consent, unless necessary to protect the interests and well-being of an individual.

At times, visitors—those deemed outside of the RIS community—are requested to provide personal data for safety and security purposes when visiting the school campus. Visitors may include but are not limited to prospective parents on a school tour; representatives from other educational institutions; and outsourced services such as caterers or media companies, among other individuals. The data acquired is used internally and only for the duration of the visit.  

In general, provided data will be stored for the length of time as designated by the Thai government in regards to compliance. To ensure the security of school systems and an individual’s personal data, steps and policies regarding child communication guidelines, safeguarding, technology, and devices, have been outlined to the school community at large. 

Rights Over Personal Data

Significant resources and measures have been taken to protect the well-being and privacy of personnel, students and other members of the RIS community. In the annual upkeep of PowerSchool and other school information systems, RIS encourages its community to update and verify their personal information at the beginning of each academic year. Members of the RIS community have the right to access and request for copies of their personal data in a reasonable format for the purpose of transfer to another data controller.

In abiding with data protection laws, an individual has the right to correct and modify their personal information. In specific situations, individuals may request the restriction or erasure of their personal data. Permission may be withdrawn in regards to Information that has been processed with an individual’s consent. Please note, however, that certain information requests may be rejected in certain circumstances based on legal requirements to support RIS’ operation as an educational institution.

Contacting the School

In regards to data control, members of the RIS community are welcome to reach out to their relevant school section (elementary, middle school or high school) as well as the school Advancement (advancement@rism.ac.th) and Admissions (admissions@rism.ac.th) offices with questions and concerns.

Ruamrudee International School (RIS)
6 Ramkhamhaeng 184
Minburi, Bangkok, 10510

Telephone: +66 (0)2 791 8900
General school information email: info@rism.ac.th