Matrix Synchronized Skating Academy will collect personal information such as
names, addresses, email addresses and phone numbers on a voluntary basis
through membership, program registration and purchases.
Matrix Synchronized Skating Academy will use this information for the following
purposes:
● to enable Skating School's committee and governing body to facilitate
business activities, programs, registrations through acts including, but not
limited to, completing program and event registrations, and responding to
questions;
● to enable Skating School to provide better services and processes to meet the
needs of our membership;
● to register your membership with skating school-associated governing bodies
that you consent to (i.e. Skate Canada).

In addition, in accordance with Public Health directions, information may be shared
concerning COVID-19.

If you have opted in to receive news from Matrix Synchronized Skating Academy, we
will contact you via email for the following purposes:

● to communicate information related to the operation and promotion of the club
with our members and program participants including, but not limited to,
organization details, existing and upcoming event and program information,
club communications, event promotion and details, member communications,
fundraising and volunteer information;
● to help organize and operate competitions, contests and performances;
● to communicate with prospective members about skating school information
and promotions.

Matrix Synchronized Skating Academy does not sell, rent or exchange any of the
personal information collected in the manner described above with any third party,
except as described herein or as you may otherwise consent. All information
gathered by the skating school through your purchases, registrations is kept
confidential. We respect your privacy and confidence as a valued member.

Matrix Synchronized Skating Academy may also provide your personal information in
good faith when required by law. Matrix Synchronized Skating Academy is
committed to the protection of our members' information. Sensitive and personal
information is kept secure and strictly confidential. Access to your personal
information by the skating school's committee and governing body is limited to a
need-to-know basis.

 

Refund Policy

After the acceptance of skaters positions, no refunds will be issued unless it falls
under the Medical Refund Policy below. Requests for refunds must be submitted in
writing to matrixsynchronizedteams@gmail.com

Medical Refund Policy: Medical refunds are only given in cases of prolonged
and/or sustained medical issues that prevent a skater from skating at all. Some
examples of this are concussions, fractures, or serious illness. These refunds are not
designed for short-term absences. In order to make a request, the skater must miss
15 sessions or 3 weeks. Refunds are considered on a case by case basis.

Requests for medical refunds must be made in writing to the committee
(matrixsynchronizedteams@gmail.com) and must be accompanied by a note from a
licensed physician that clearly indicates the following in order to be considered:

● how long the skater is required to be absent
● specific reason for absence
● expected date for return to skate

Refunds, if approved, will be issued in the form of a credit to be used towards any
Matrix Synchronized Skating Academy’s programs or products. If the credits aren’t
redeemed by the end of the skating season, they will be held until the next season and applied to the registration fees, unless the skater is graduating, then they will be
refunded to the member via EFT, minus any administrative fee.

Refunds for long-term club closure as a result of COVID-19 or another
unforeseen event: In the case where the skating school has to be closed for a
continuous period longer than 14 days, a refund for that period will be provided. The
committee will have full discretion on the determination of the amount of the refunds
for scenarios that require long-term closure.

For any other situation in regard to COVID-19 or similar scenarios, if the City of
Thorold or Skate Ontario implement limitations to the skating season for either short
or prolonged periods, an impact assessment (which takes into account ongoing
expenses) will be completed by the Committee to determine what, if any,
credits/refunds can be provided.

Note: The Skate Canada fee is non-refundable for any refund or credit. As
well, any refunds will include a $50 administrative fee per family.

 

Payment Policy

Matrix Synchronized Skating Academy accepts the following types of payments:
Cash,Cheques and E-Transfers. Matrix Synchronized Skating Academy does not
accept debit, Visa-Debit, money orders, or credit. Installment payments must be paid
by E-Transfer or Cheque. There is a service charge of $50.00 for all NSF cheques.

Current season runs from August to March.

Installment payments are due as per each team's budgets.

 

Social Media Policy

We recognize that many of our coaching staff and committee members are actively
using social media in their personal lives. It is important to understand that these
personal posts can directly or indirectly impact our skaters and Matrix Synchronized
Skating Academy brand. As coaches and committee members you are often in the
best position to serve as Matrix Synchronized Skating Academy and Skate Canada
brand ambassadors.

We encourage you to actively engage in social media and spread the word
about Matrix Synchronized Skating Academy, and have created the following
guidelines to reduce any risk to personal, skater and skating school
reputation.

Be transparent and authentic. If you are sharing information about Matrix
Synchronized Skating Academy or your skater, be sure to tell people you are the coach or committee member. You can either do this in your profile or when you are sharing information. Why is this important? Many people use social media sources as part of their decision or to form opinions about a skating school. They may weigh a coach's or parent/guardian's comment differently, so it is important to be up front
about who you are.

Use a Disclaimer. Social media activities are individual interactions and coaches or
committee members must not represent or imply that they are expressing the opinion
of the Matrix Synchronized Skating Academy. If you publish or share content online
related to Matrix Synchronized Skating Academy you should include a disclaimer
such as “tweets are my own”.

Be Considerate. The same rules that apply to skater or coaches conduct as it
relates to Athlete Conduct or Coaches Code of ethics, including our Skating School
values, apply to the social world. Communicating publicly in any type of forum –
including social media channels – should be done with good judgement and common
sense.

Be positive - your comments are a reflection of you, our skaters and our Skating
School. Before posting any comment, ask yourself would it be OK for my skater,
parent/guardian, coach colleague, skating school or member of the skating
community to read this? Information spreads quickly and there is no true delete
button. Never share anything you wouldn’t want the world to know.

Respect Copyright and Trademark. Follow the rules of the social media site you
are using and be mindful of others in that space. Coaches and committee members
are not permitted to use the Matrix Synchronized Skating Academy logos or other
trademarks owned by Matrix Synchronized Skating Academy or Skate Canada –
unless approved to do so.

 

Records Retention Policy

 

Purpose
The purpose of this Records Retention Policy is to ensure that Matrix Synchronized
Skating Academy maintains and disposes of records in compliance with legal
requirements, operational needs, and best practices. This policy aims to provide
clear guidelines on the retention and disposal of records to ensure the efficient and
systematic control of information.

Application
This policy applies to all records created, received, and maintained by Matrix
Synchronized Skating Academy,including those in electronic and paper formats. It
covers all participants, employees, volunteers, coaches, committee members, contractors, and any other individuals associated with Matrix Synchronized Skating
Academy.

Definitions
● Records: Any recorded information, regardless of format or medium, created,
received, and maintained by the skating school in the course of its operations.
● Retention Period: The length of time a record must be kept before it is
disposed of.
● Disposal: The process of destroying or deleting records that are no longer
required to be retained.

Records Categories and Retention Periods
Records will be retained for the periods specified below, after which they will be
disposed of securely.

Administrative Records
● Board Meeting Minutes: Permanent
● Bylaws and Policies: Permanent
● General Correspondence: 3 years
● Strategic Plans: 7 years

Financial Records
● Financial Statements: Permanent
● Audit Reports: Permanent
● Tax Returns and Supporting Documents: 7 years
● Bank Statements and Reconciliations: 7 years
● Invoices and Receipts: 7 years

Participant / Member Records
● Participant Applications and Agreements: 7 years after membership ends
● Attendance Records: 3 years
● Correspondence: 3 years

Employee and Volunteer Records
● Employment Contracts: 7 years after termination
● Payroll Records: 7 years
● Performance Evaluations: 3 years after termination
● Volunteer Agreements and Records: 7 years after termination

Program and Event Records
● Program Registration Forms: 3 years
● Event Schedules and Reports: 3 years
● Incident Reports: 7 years
● Legal and Compliance Records
● Contracts and Agreements: 7 years after expiration
● Insurance Policies: 7 years after expiration
● Legal Correspondence: Permanent
● Compliance Documents: 7 years

Record Storage
Records must be stored in a manner that ensures their security and accessibility.
Electronic records should be backed up regularly and stored in a secure system.
Physical records should be stored in locked, fire-resistant cabinets or rooms.

Disposal of Records
Records that have reached the end of their retention period should be disposed of in
a secure manner to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information. Disposal
methods may include shredding paper documents and permanently deleting
electronic files.

Responsibilities
The committee is responsible for overseeing the implementation of this policy,
including ensuring compliance with retention periods, coordinating the secure
disposal of records, and maintaining records inventories.

Employees and Volunteers: All employees and volunteers are responsible for
adhering to this policy and assisting with the management of records within their
area of responsibility.

Compliance with Laws
This policy is designed to comply with relevant records retention laws and
regulations in Ontario, including the Personal Information Protection and Electronic
Documents Act (PIPEDA) and other applicable provincial regulations.

 

Hiring Policy

 

The purpose of having a hiring policy and procedure is to ensure that the skating
school is successful in hiring and retaining qualified Skate Canada coaches to run
programs in accordance with Skate Canada regulations. The following policy and
procedure for hiring coaches will recognize and highlight the steps needed to be
taken by the Matrix Synchronized Skating Academy to meet these professional
obligations for the betterment of the Matrix Synchronized Skating Academy and its
members.

The Matrix Synchronized Skating Academy committee will request, via written letter,
from all current coaches, a letter of intent for employment for the following skating
season and include a due date for the receipt of such letter. The request for coaches’
letters of intent will be the responsibility of the committee. Written requests for letters
of intent must be provided to each current coach no later than December 31st of the
current skating season. This allows adequate time for the advertisement of new
coaches for the following skating season.

Once the due date for letters of intent as indicated in the request letter has passed,
the Matrix Synchronized Skating Academy will review all letters of intent received.
Recommendations will be done according to Skate Canada Program Delivery
Standards.

In the event that the recommendation is to hire one or more coaches outside of the
pool of returning coaches, advertisements for such positions will be made .The
advertisement will indicate the level of coach the skating school is seeking, what
programs the Matrix Synchronized Skating Academy offers, an estimation of ice time
and coaching time available and any other information pertinent to the coaching of
members in our skating school. All advertisements will include a due date for the
acceptance of resumes and contact information.

Once all resumes and letters of intent are received, the committee will recommend
the best coaching situation for the skating school reflective of the Matrix
Synchronized Skating Academy current and projected coaching needs and Skate
Canada Program Delivery Standards.

All coaches being offered a position with the Matrix Synchronized Skating Academy
will have contracts written that reflect the hours of employment, wages for
compensation, expectations and dates of effectiveness to be signed (once agreed
upon by all parties) by the skating school and the coach. The skating school will
make their best attempt to have all contracts signed and coaches hired by August 1
of the current skating season.