United States
Last updated: June 16, 2026

 

Who We Are

Virtual Science Teachers (“VST,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to support science teachers and create engaging, skill-building resources that help all students develop a strong foundation in science. We partner with teachers to build a scientifically literate society and believe everyone deserves access to high-quality science learning resources.

We do not require user accounts, do not collect student profiles, and do not sell personal data.

 

This Privacy Policy applies to the Virtual Science Teachers public website, including website forms, newsletters, email subscriptions, donations, event registrations, and general informational pages. It describes how we handle information collected through this website. If VST offers additional services with different privacy terms in the future, those terms will be provided with those services.

 

How to Contact Us

Virtual Science Teachers
1500 Shipyard Rd, Suite D #1014
Chesapeake, VA 23323
United States

Email: admin@virtualscienceteachers.com
Website: https://virtualscienceteachers.org

 

What Personal Data Do We Collect?

Personal Information You Voluntarily Provide

You may choose to share personal information with us when you:

• Contact us by email
• Complete a website form
• Subscribe to newsletters, resource updates, or free educational materials
• Register for an event or webinar
• Make a donation

This information may include your name, email address, organization or school affiliation, role, state or region, and any message or information you choose to provide.

Our website forms and email subscription forms are intended for adults, including teachers, parents, homeschool educators, school administrators, district leaders, nonprofit partners, and other education decision-makers. They are not intended for children or students under 18.

 

Newsletters, Email Subscriptions, and Mailchimp

We use Mailchimp to help manage email subscriptions, contact lists, website form submissions, newsletters, and resource updates. When you submit a website form or sign up to receive emails from VST, the information you provide may be stored and processed in Mailchimp so that we can manage our contacts and send the communications you requested.

The personal information we process through Mailchimp may include:

• Name
• Email address
• Organization, school, or role, if provided
• Subscription preferences
• Form submission details
• Email engagement information, such as whether an email was delivered, opened, or clicked

We use Mailchimp for nonprofit communications, educational updates, resource sharing, event announcements, and contact management. We do not use Mailchimp to create student profiles, target children, or sell personal information.

You can unsubscribe from VST marketing or newsletter emails at any time by using the unsubscribe link included in those emails or by contacting us at admin@virtualscienceteachers.com. We may still send non-marketing messages when appropriate, such as responses to direct inquiries, donation confirmations, event logistics, or other administrative communications.

Mailchimp processes information according to its own legal and privacy terms. You can review Mailchimp’s legal policies at https://mailchimp.com/legal/.

 

Donations and Event Registrations

Donations and event registrations may be processed securely by our third-party provider Zeffy. Virtual Science Teachers does not receive or store payment card information. Please review Zeffy’s Privacy Policy for details about its data practices.

 

Information Collected Automatically

We collect limited technical information automatically to operate, secure, and maintain our website. This information is not used to identify individual students and may include:

• Browser and device type
• Operating system
• General location, such as city or region
• Pages visited and basic interaction information
• Referring website or link
• Date and time of access

This information is used only in aggregate or local form to support website functionality, improve content, and protect the website from misuse.

 

Embedded Content

Some pages include embedded educational content, such as Canva or Genially presentations. These services may receive limited technical information, such as IP address or device type, when the embedded content loads.

We use education-focused, non-advertising plans where available. We do not enable personalization, advertising, or remarketing features for embedded instructional content. Embedded content is used strictly for educational and informational purposes.

 

Social Media

If you choose to interact with Virtual Science Teachers on social media platforms, we may view publicly available engagement information such as likes, comments, shares, or public profile information. We do not receive private user data from social media platforms and do not collect personal data about individual social media users outside the information they choose to make public or share with us directly.

 

Why We Use Personal Data

We use personal information to:

• Respond to inquiries and communications
• Send educational resources, newsletters, updates, or information users request
• Manage email subscriptions and contact lists
• Share event, webinar, program, or resource announcements
• Process donations or event registrations through our service providers
• Provide and protect our services
• Maintain and improve website functionality
• Identify broad usage patterns without identifying students
• Comply with legal obligations
• Prevent misuse or harmful activity

We do not sell personal information.

 

Children’s Privacy

Protecting children’s privacy is especially important to us.

 

No Student Accounts or Profiles

Virtual Science Teachers does not require students to create accounts or log in to use our resources. We do not create student profiles through our public website, newsletter forms, or Mailchimp contact lists.

 

Website Forms Are Not Intended for Children

Our website forms, newsletter signups, email subscriptions, and contact forms are intended for adults, including teachers, parents, homeschool educators, school administrators, district leaders, nonprofit partners, and other education decision-makers. They are not intended for children or students under 18.

 

No Knowing Collection of Children’s Personal Information

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13. Students can use our educational resources without providing identifying information.

 

Accidental Collection

If we become aware that personal information from a child under 13 has been collected inadvertently, for example through an email message or website form, we will delete it promptly. Parents or guardians may contact us at admin@virtualscienceteachers.com to request access to or deletion of such information.

 

Cookies and Local Storage

We use cookies and similar technologies that are functional or technical in nature to ensure proper website operation, support accessibility and usability, remember preferences or activity state during a session, and support basic website security.

These technologies are not used by VST for advertising, are not used to track students across websites, and are not used to create student profiles. We do not use advertising cookies, remarketing cookies, or behavioral advertising tools.

Some third-party services, including embedded content providers or email subscription tools, may use cookies or similar technologies when their services load or when users interact with forms or email links. These third parties process information according to their own privacy policies.

Visitors can manage cookies through their browser settings.

 

Who Can See Your Personal Data?

We share personal information only in limited circumstances:

• With service providers that support website hosting, security, email delivery, contact management, donation processing, event registration, or other nonprofit operations
• With Mailchimp for email subscriptions, newsletters, website forms, and contact management
• With Zeffy for donations and event registrations
• With professional advisors such as legal, accounting, or compliance services
• When required by law or legal process
• To protect the safety, rights, or security of users, VST, or the website
• With your explicit consent

We may also share aggregated or anonymized information that does not identify individuals.

 

Data Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards to protect personal information. Access to systems is restricted to people who need it for VST operations. We also rely on service providers, including Mailchimp and Zeffy, to maintain safeguards for the systems they provide.

No website, email system, or online service can guarantee complete security. If we become aware of a security issue that affects personal information, we will take appropriate steps consistent with applicable law.

 

Data Retention

Personal information is retained only as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected or as required by law.

For newsletter and email subscription information, we retain contact information while a person remains subscribed or while we have a reasonable nonprofit, educational, administrative, or legal need to keep the information. If you unsubscribe, Mailchimp may retain limited information needed to honor your unsubscribe request and prevent future marketing emails unless you later resubscribe.

De-identified or aggregated data may be retained for longer periods for lawful purposes.

 

Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your state of residence, you may have rights including:

• Access to personal data we hold about you
• Correction of personal data
• Deletion of personal data
• Objection to certain processing activities
• Withdrawal of consent
• Opting out of newsletter or marketing emails

To exercise your rights, please contact us at admin@virtualscienceteachers.com.

You may unsubscribe from VST newsletter or marketing emails at any time by using the unsubscribe link in the email or by contacting us directly.

 

Third-Party Websites and Services

Our website may contain links to or embedded content from third-party websites or services. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third-party services. We encourage you to review their privacy policies.

Third-party services we may use include Mailchimp for email subscriptions, newsletters, website forms, and contact management, and Zeffy for donations and event registrations.

 

Updates to This Policy

We review and update this Privacy Policy periodically. Updates will be posted on this page with a revised “Last updated” date.