Terms of Use

Acceptance of Terms

These Terms of Use ("Terms") apply to the Virtual Science Teachers website and services provided through virtualscienceteachers.org.

By using the VST website, creating an account, purchasing a Teacher Membership, or accessing account-based VST services, you agree to comply with these Terms.

Certain activities, including purchasing a recurring membership, may require you to affirmatively agree to these Terms or related policies during checkout or account registration.

If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not create an account, purchase a membership, or use services that require acceptance of these Terms.

About Virtual Science Teachers

Virtual Science Teachers ("VST," "we," "us," or "our") is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that creates educational science resources designed to support teachers, classroom instruction, student thinking, and scientific literacy.

VST provides public online educational resources as well as optional account-based services and Teacher Membership benefits.

Student Use of VST

Students may use VST's public online educational resources without creating a VST account.

Teacher Membership registration, paid memberships, newsletter subscriptions, and other adult account-based features are not intended for students.

Teachers may provide permitted VST worksheets, links, activities, and other classroom materials to their students as described in the VST Licensing & Use Policy.

User Accounts

Some VST services require an account. Accounts associated with VST Teacher Memberships are intended for adults.

When creating an account, you agree to provide information that is accurate and reasonably current.

You are responsible for activity occurring through your account and for protecting your login credentials.

Please contact VST promptly if you believe your account or login credentials have been compromised.

VST Teacher Memberships

VST may offer paid Teacher Memberships that provide access to additional educator resources and tools.

Membership benefits may include printable worksheets, editable materials when available, teacher-only downloads, and additional resources or features identified on the VST website.

Purchasing a Teacher Membership does not transfer ownership of VST content and does not grant unlimited redistribution rights.

Recurring Billing and Automatic Renewal

VST Teacher Memberships that are identified as recurring subscriptions automatically renew according to the billing cycle selected at checkout until canceled.

Before completing a recurring membership purchase, the checkout process will identify the applicable membership price, billing frequency, automatic renewal terms, and available cancellation information.

Membership payments are processed through Stripe or another payment provider identified at checkout.

VST may provide an electronic confirmation or acknowledgment containing membership, renewal, and cancellation information.

Changes to Recurring Membership Terms

If VST makes a material change to recurring membership terms, VST will provide notice when required by applicable law.

Cancellation and Refunds

Cancellation

Members may cancel a recurring Teacher Membership to stop future renewals.

VST will provide an online or other reasonably accessible cancellation method. Cancellation instructions may be available through the member account area, membership communications, or other locations identified by VST.

Once cancellation is successfully completed, the membership will not renew for an additional billing period unless the member later chooses to subscribe again.

Unless otherwise stated during cancellation, access that has already been paid for may remain available through the end of the applicable paid membership period.

Refunds and Credits

Cancellation of a membership does not, by itself, determine whether a payment already made is refundable.

Any refund or credit terms offered by VST will be disclosed at checkout, in an applicable refund notice or policy, or when otherwise required by law.

VST will provide any refund or other remedy required by applicable law.

Account Security and Two-Factor Authentication

VST may require two-factor authentication (2FA), verification codes, or other reasonable security measures to protect accounts and teacher resources.

Users are responsible for maintaining access to their authentication method and for securely storing any backup or recovery information.

You may not attempt to bypass, disable, interfere with, or defeat VST authentication or security measures.

VST may temporarily restrict access when reasonably necessary to protect an account, investigate suspicious activity, or address a security issue.

VST Content and Licensing

Original VST materials are protected by copyright and other applicable intellectual property laws unless otherwise indicated.

Permission to use, print, edit, share, embed, download, or otherwise use VST resources is governed by the VST Licensing & Use Policy .

The VST Licensing & Use Policy is incorporated into these Terms by reference.

If a particular resource contains a separate license or third-party license, the applicable license for that resource also governs its use.

Acceptable Use

Users may not use the VST website, accounts, services, or technical systems in a way that interferes with VST, harms other users, or violates applicable law.

Prohibited conduct includes attempting to:

• Gain unauthorized access to VST accounts or systems
• Share another person's account without authorization
• Bypass membership or access controls
• Defeat two-factor authentication or other security measures
• Introduce malicious software, harmful code, automated attacks, or disruptive traffic
• Scrape or systematically harvest VST content for unauthorized redistribution or creation of another product or database
• Reverse engineer, copy, or replicate VST software or interactive systems except where applicable law expressly permits the activity
• Use VST services to engage in unlawful, fraudulent, abusive, or deceptive conduct
• Violate VST's Licensing & Use Policy

Third-Party Services and Content

VST uses and may link to third-party services that help provide website, payment, email, educational, donation, security, analytics, or other functionality.

These may include services such as:

• Stripe
• Paid Memberships Pro
• Mailchimp
• Zeffy
• Koko Analytics
• Canva
• Genially
• PhET Interactive Simulations
• Website hosting, security, and infrastructure providers

Third-party services and content may be governed by their own terms, licenses, privacy practices, and policies.

VST does not control third-party services and cannot guarantee that a third-party service will always remain available.

Privacy

VST's collection, use, and handling of personal information is described in the VST Privacy Policy .

Students can use VST's public online educational resources without creating a VST account.

Teacher Membership accounts, newsletter registrations, and similar account-based services are intended for adults.

Email Communications

Optional Newsletter and Marketing Emails

Adults may voluntarily subscribe to VST newsletters, resource updates, or other marketing communications.

Marketing email recipients may unsubscribe at any time using the unsubscribe link included in the message.

Administrative and Account Communications

If you create an account, purchase a membership, make a donation, register for an event, or otherwise interact with VST, we may send administrative communications necessary to provide that service.

These may include:

• Membership confirmations
• Billing or renewal information
• Cancellation confirmations
• Password and account notices
• Two-factor authentication codes
• Security notifications
• Responses to support requests
• Donation confirmations
• Event-related information

These service-related communications are separate from optional newsletter or marketing emails.

Donations and Event Transactions

Donations and certain event registrations may be processed using Zeffy or another third-party provider identified at the time of the transaction.

Third-party processors may apply their own terms and privacy policies to those transactions.

Teacher Membership payments are separate from charitable donations unless VST expressly states otherwise.

Changes to Resources and Services

VST continually develops and improves its educational resources and services.

VST may add, update, replace, reorganize, temporarily suspend, or discontinue particular website resources, features, membership benefits, or technical services.

A membership provides access to the membership benefits made available by VST during the applicable membership period. It does not guarantee that any particular individual resource or feature will remain available indefinitely.

VST will provide notice when a change to recurring membership terms requires notice under applicable law.

Suspension or Termination of Access

VST may suspend, restrict, or terminate access to an account or service when reasonably necessary to:

• Address suspected fraud or unauthorized account use
• Protect website or account security
• Respond to repeated account sharing
• Address unauthorized redistribution of VST resources
• Enforce these Terms or the Licensing & Use Policy
• Respond to unlawful or harmful activity

When practical and appropriate, VST may provide the account holder with information about the issue and an opportunity to contact VST regarding the restriction.

Educational Content and Disclaimers

VST strives to provide accurate, useful, and high-quality educational materials, but educational resources may contain errors, omissions, or information that later requires revision.

Teachers and other users should exercise appropriate professional judgment when selecting and using educational resources.

The VST website and services are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis to the extent permitted by law.

VST does not guarantee uninterrupted access, error-free operation, or the continued availability of every particular resource or third-party service.

Limitation of Liability

To the extent permitted by applicable law, VST is not responsible for losses resulting solely from temporary website outages, technical failures, third-party service interruptions, unauthorized conduct by users, or reliance on content outside the purposes for which the educational resources were designed.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits any liability or legal right that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.

Changes to These Terms

VST may update these Terms as the website, membership program, resources, technology, or legal requirements change.

The updated Terms will be posted on this page with a revised "Last updated" date.

If a change materially affects an existing paid membership or requires additional notice under applicable law, VST will provide additional notice when appropriate.

Continued use of VST after updated Terms become effective constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms to the extent permitted by applicable law.

Other Legal Terms

Applicable Law

VST is based in Virginia, United States. These Terms are subject to applicable federal and state law, including any consumer protections that cannot be waived by agreement.

Severability

If a provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue to apply to the extent permitted by law.

No Waiver

VST's decision not to enforce a provision of these Terms in a particular situation does not waive VST's right to enforce that provision in the future.