Privacy Policy

Last updated: March 22, 2023

This Privacy Policy describes Our policies and procedures on the collection, use and disclosure of Your information when You use the Service and tells You about Your privacy rights and how the law protects You.

We use Your Personal data to provide and improve the Service. By using the Service, You agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. 

Interpretation and Definitions

Interpretation

The words of which the initial letter is capitalized have meanings defined under the following conditions. The following definitions shall have the same meaning regardless of whether they appear in singular or in plural.

Definitions

For the purposes of this Privacy Policy:

  • Account means a unique account created for You to access our Service or parts of our Service.
  • Affiliate means an entity that controls, is controlled by or is under common control with a party, where “control” means ownership of 50% or more of the shares, equity interest or other securities entitled to vote for election of directors or other managing authority.
  • Company (referred to as either “the Company”, “We”, “Us” or “Our” in this Agreement) refers to National Ski Academy, 200 Oak Street Collingwood, ON Canada L9Y 2Y1.
  • Cookies are small files that are placed on Your computer, mobile device or any other device by a website, containing the details of Your browsing history on that website among its many uses.
  • Country refers to: Ontario, Canada
  • Device means any device that can access the Service such as a computer, a cellphone or a digital tablet.
  • Personal Data is any information that relates to an identified or identifiable individual.
  • Service refers to the Website.
  • Service Provider means any natural or legal person who processes the data on behalf of the Company. It refers to third-party companies or individuals employed by the Company to facilitate the Service, to provide the Service on behalf of the Company, to perform services related to the Service or to assist the Company in analyzing how the Service is used.
  • Usage Data refers to data collected automatically, either generated by the use of the Service or from the Service infrastructure itself (for example, the duration of a page visit).
  • Website refers to National Ski Academy, accessible from https://www.nsa.on.ca/
  • You means the individual accessing or using the Service, or the company, or other legal entity on behalf of which such individual is accessing or using the Service, as applicable.

Collecting and Using Your Personal Data

Types of Data Collected
Personal Data

While using Our Service, We may ask You to provide Us with certain personally identifiable information that can be used to contact or identify You. Personally identifiable information may include, but is not limited to:

  • Email address
  • First name and last name
  • Phone number
  • Address, State, Province, ZIP/Postal code, City
  • Usage Data
Usage Data

Usage Data is collected automatically when using the Service.

Usage Data may include information such as Your Device’s Internet Protocol address (e.g. IP address), browser type, browser version, the pages of our Service that You visit, the time and date of Your visit, the time spent on those pages, unique device identifiers and other diagnostic data.

When You access the Service by or through a mobile device, We may collect certain information automatically, including, but not limited to, the type of mobile device You use, Your mobile device unique ID, the IP address of Your mobile device, Your mobile operating system, the type of mobile Internet browser You use, unique device identifiers and other diagnostic data.

We may also collect information that Your browser sends whenever You visit our Service or when You access the Service by or through a mobile device.

Tracking Technologies and Cookies

We use Cookies and similar tracking technologies to track the activity on Our Service and store certain information. Tracking technologies used are beacons, tags, and scripts to collect and track information and to improve and analyze Our Service. The technologies We use may include:

  • Cookies or Browser Cookies. A cookie is a small file placed on Your Device. You can instruct Your browser to refuse all Cookies or to indicate when a Cookie is being sent. However, if You do not accept Cookies, You may not be able to use some parts of our Service. Unless you have adjusted Your browser setting so that it will refuse Cookies, our Service may use Cookies.
  • Web Beacons. Certain sections of our Service and our emails may contain small electronic files known as web beacons (also referred to as clear gifs, pixel tags, and single-pixel gifs) that permit the Company, for example, to count users who have visited those pages or opened an email and for other related website statistics (for example, recording the popularity of a certain section and verifying system and server integrity).

Cookies can be “Persistent” or “Session” Cookies. Persistent Cookies remain on Your personal computer or mobile device when You go offline, while Session Cookies are deleted as soon as You close Your web browser. You can learn more about cookies on TermsFeed website article.

We use both Session and Persistent Cookies for the purposes set out below:

  • Necessary / Essential Cookies

    Type: Session Cookies

    Administered by: Us

    Purpose: These Cookies are essential to provide You with services available through the Website and to enable You to use some of its features. They help to authenticate users and prevent fraudulent use of user accounts. Without these Cookies, the services that You have asked for cannot be provided, and We only use these Cookies to provide You with those services.

  • Cookies Policy / Notice Acceptance Cookies

    Type: Persistent Cookies

    Administered by: Us

    Purpose: These Cookies identify if users have accepted the use of cookies on the Website.

  • Functionality Cookies

    Type: Persistent Cookies

    Administered by: Us

    Purpose: These Cookies allow us to remember choices You make when You use the Website, such as remembering your login details or language preference. The purpose of these Cookies is to provide You with a more personal experience and to avoid You having to re-enter your preferences every time You use the Website.

For more information about the cookies we use and your choices regarding cookies, please visit our Cookies Policy or the Cookies section of our Privacy Policy.

Use of Your Personal Data

The Company may use Personal Data for the following purposes:

  • To provide and maintain our Service, including to monitor the usage of our Service.
  • To manage Your Account: to manage Your registration as a user of the Service. The Personal Data You provide can give You access to different functionalities of the Service that are available to You as a registered user.
  • For the performance of a contract: the development, compliance and undertaking of the purchase contract for the products, items or services You have purchased or of any other contract with Us through the Service.
  • To contact You: To contact You by email, telephone calls, SMS, or other equivalent forms of electronic communication, such as a mobile application’s push notifications regarding updates or informative communications related to the functionalities, products or contracted services, including the security updates, when necessary or reasonable for their implementation.
  • To provide You with news, special offers and general information about other goods, services and events which we offer that are similar to those that you have already purchased or enquired about unless You have opted not to receive such information.
  • To manage Your requests: To attend and manage Your requests to Us.
  • For business transfers: We may use Your information to evaluate or conduct a merger, divestiture, restructuring, reorganization, dissolution, or other sale or transfer of some or all of Our assets, whether as a going concern or as part of bankruptcy, liquidation, or similar proceeding, in which Personal Data held by Us about our Service users is among the assets transferred.
  • For other purposes: We may use Your information for other purposes, such as data analysis, identifying usage trends, determining the effectiveness of our promotional campaigns and to evaluate and improve our Service, products, services, marketing and your experience.

We may share Your personal information in the following situations:

  • With Service Providers: We may share Your personal information with Service Providers to monitor and analyze the use of our Service, to contact You.
  • For business transfers: We may share or transfer Your personal information in connection with, or during negotiations of, any merger, sale of Company assets, financing, or acquisition of all or a portion of Our business to another company.
  • With Affiliates: We may share Your information with Our affiliates, in which case we will require those affiliates to honor this Privacy Policy. Affiliates include Our parent company and any other subsidiaries, joint venture partners or other companies that We control or that are under common control with Us.
  • With business partners: We may share Your information with Our business partners to offer You certain products, services or promotions.
  • With other users: when You share personal information or otherwise interact in the public areas with other users, such information may be viewed by all users and may be publicly distributed outside.
  • With Your consent: We may disclose Your personal information for any other purpose with Your consent.
Retention of Your Personal Data

The Company will retain Your Personal Data only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy. We will retain and use Your Personal Data to the extent necessary to comply with our legal obligations (for example, if we are required to retain your data to comply with applicable laws), resolve disputes, and enforce our legal agreements and policies.

The Company will also retain Usage Data for internal analysis purposes. Usage Data is generally retained for a shorter period of time, except when this data is used to strengthen the security or to improve the functionality of Our Service, or We are legally obligated to retain this data for longer time periods.

Transfer of Your Personal Data

Your information, including Personal Data, is processed at the Company’s operating offices and in any other places where the parties involved in the processing are located. It means that this information may be transferred to — and maintained on — computers located outside of Your state, province, country or other governmental jurisdiction where the data protection laws may differ than those from Your jurisdiction.

Your consent to this Privacy Policy followed by Your submission of such information represents Your agreement to that transfer.

The Company will take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that Your data is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy and no transfer of Your Personal Data will take place to an organization or a country unless there are adequate controls in place including the security of Your data and other personal information.

Delete Your Personal Data

You have the right to delete or request that We assist in deleting the Personal Data that We have collected about You.

Our Service may give You the ability to delete certain information about You from within the Service.

You may update, amend, or delete Your information at any time by signing in to Your Account, if you have one, and visiting the account settings section that allows you to manage Your personal information. You may also contact Us to request access to, correct, or delete any personal information that You have provided to Us.

Please note, however, that We may need to retain certain information when we have a legal obligation or lawful basis to do so.

Disclosure of Your Personal Data
Business Transactions

If the Company is involved in a merger, acquisition or asset sale, Your Personal Data may be transferred. We will provide notice before Your Personal Data is transferred and becomes subject to a different Privacy Policy.

Law enforcement

Under certain circumstances, the Company may be required to disclose Your Personal Data if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g. a court or a government agency).

Other legal requirements

The Company may disclose Your Personal Data in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to:

  • Comply with a legal obligation
  • Protect and defend the rights or property of the Company
  • Prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing in connection with the Service
  • Protect the personal safety of Users of the Service or the public
  • Protect against legal liability
Security of Your Personal Data

The security of Your Personal Data is important to Us, but remember that no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While We strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect Your Personal Data, We cannot guarantee its absolute security.

Children’s Privacy

Our Service does not address anyone under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from anyone under the age of 13. If You are a parent or guardian and You are aware that Your child has provided Us with Personal Data, please contact Us. If We become aware that We have collected Personal Data from anyone under the age of 13 without verification of parental consent, We take steps to remove that information from Our servers.

If We need to rely on consent as a legal basis for processing Your information and Your country requires consent from a parent, We may require Your parent’s consent before We collect and use that information.

Links to Other Websites

Our Service may contain links to other websites that are not operated by Us. If You click on a third party link, You will be directed to that third party’s site. We strongly advise You to review the Privacy Policy of every site You visit.

We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies or practices of any third party sites or services.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update Our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify You of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page.

We will let You know via email and/or a prominent notice on Our Service, prior to the change becoming effective and update the “Last updated” date at the top of this Privacy Policy.

You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, You can contact us:

Founding Members

Our Mission is to provide an environment for talented student/athletes, to maximize individual potential through the pursuit of alpine ski racing excellence, academic achievement and personal growth.

John Bennett
Bev Collombin
Jack Creed
Jurg Gfeller
Dan Hadley
Henry Haiduk
Paul D. Phelan
Gerry Stone
Ross McIntosh
Teacher

Ross McIntosh is a physics, math, and computer science teacher who takes immense care and pride in ensuring his students learn, love, and succeed in math and the sciences. Ross works tremendously hard to deliver a high standard of education, frequently staying for study hall in the evenings and on Saturdays, to ensure his students have ample opportunities to practice and receive extra help. He is known for his deep investment in each student’s success.

Under his mentorship, students regularly appear at the top of the Northern Ontario leaderboards for the University of Waterloo math contests. He has also mentored dozens of Canada-Wide Science Fair medallists, and maintained a 96% AP Exam pass rate in Ontario over a six-year period. Ross injects the passion and energy of a professional sports coach into the classroom. In this environment, students are encouraged to achieve things they never thought possible.

Ross’ teaching brings out the best in students during an important period of their development. His alumni speak of the profound impact he made on their lives. He keeps in touch with a huge number of his past students, many of whom have continued to study math, physics, architecture, and engineering at the most prestigious universities in Canada and the USA.

Ross says, “It is my core belief that when I can provide a student with the skills to face the challenging world of physics and math – and they see that they can succeed — they leave with a strong foundation to have the confidence and motivation to be successful in other challenges throughout life.”

Liesbeth Halbertsma
Teacher

Liesbeth Halbertsma grew up in France and the Netherlands, culminating in her attainment of a master’s degree in Law from the University of Amsterdam, complemented by a minor in Art History. In the company of her husband and two young sons, she made a home on Sint Maarten for 14 years before moving to Canada in 2015. Her professional journey has been a diverse tapestry, encompassing various managerial roles, including president of a child rights organization, a successful business owner, and the chair of the Foundation Classical Delight in Sint Maarten, where she orchestrated classical and school concerts for the island and organized events. She presently holds the position of President at Sail Georgian Bay, a sailing school dedicated to youth education.

Liesbeth’s abiding passion for teaching has been evident throughout her life. She provided tutoring to numerous students on St. Maarten, and upon her arrival in Collingwood, she embarked on a teaching career, focusing primarily on French instruction across all grade levels. In addition to her role in teaching French, she also taught Grade 12 Law, ESL, and even a history class. Aside from teaching, Liesbeth is the General Manager of Collingwood Music Festival, and works for Sideroad Farms at the farmers market because she is passionate about food. Liesbeth loves the outdoors, running on the trails, hiking, skiing, biking.

Alex Love
Teacher
This is Alex Love’s second year at NSA teaching senior chemistry and math courses.  Alex has previously taught in a mixture of settings and curriculums, including most recently abroad at an IB school in Vietnam.  He also just completed his Masters in Mathematics at Waterloo.  In the classroom Alex is focused on making STEM courses more accessible through reducing the anxiety and stress students can have towards higher level math/science topics.  Out of the classroom, Alex loves to go backpacking in different countries and will never say no to a good puzzle or Escape Room.  
Kathy Stegenga
Teacher
Kathy Stegenga is excited to join the NSA community.  After teaching at Branksome Hall for 23 years and living in Toronto for many more, she is thrilled to now be in Collingwood.  She is a versatile teacher always thinking of creative ways to deliver the curriculum. Recognizing that each student learns differently, she uses a variety of resources and teaching methods to capture their interest. Outside of the classroom, you will find her Nordic skiing, hiking, biking or swimming in the bay – truly enjoying all that Collingwood and the surrounding area have to offer!  
Michèle Mougeot
Teacher
Michèle Mougeot has extensive experience in education, having taught a wide variety of subjects for the York Region District School Board, the Bluewater District School Board, and private schools. She has an Honours degree from the University of Waterloo in Environment & Resource Studies and Biology, a teaching degree from the University of Toronto, and the following additional qualifications: Honours Specialist Environmental Science, Specialist in Special Education, and French as a Second Language. She has a passion for protecting natural areas, and she enjoys sharing active outdoor adventures with her students, friends, and family, throughout the seasons.
William Vancise
Teacher

William teaches our vibrant visual arts and photography programming for all grades, as well as our intermediate Canadian Geography course.  He has worked with the student athletes at the Academy for many years. He holds his Honours Specialist in Visual Arts and History.  He is currently the Arts Department Chair at Collingwood Collegiate.  He devotes his time to instructional practice, community, charity, agriculture and Mother Nature.  Words of wisdom: “Creativity takes commitment and a lot of found material.” Motto: Art for Art’s Sake.

Janet Wilkinson
Teacher

Janet has been delivering an exceptional Grade 12 English program to our senior student athletes since September 2016. Before retiring in 2016 from her career as a secondary school teacher, she designed and delivered essential English literacy courses; taught an extensive array of programs, ranging from Grade 9 LDCC English to Grade 12 University preparation; and wrote English curriculum at the local and provincial levels. Since retirement, she has been busy tutoring student athletes, skiing, hiking the Bruce Trail, and volunteering in the community. Janet is a playwright and a member of the board of directors for local Gaslight Community Theatre Production.  Her short story “Breathless” placed second in the Toronto Star’s short story contest in 2018.  Janet lives in Collingwood with her husband and their German Shepherd, Tucker.

Patrick Parenteau
FIS Coach, Women

Patrick Parenteau – Patrick has 25+ years of coaching expertise, he is a certified personal trainer and holds a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from Sherbrooke University. Patrick is a Performance Level,  Canadian Ski Coach, with a deep understanding of advanced alpine ski coaching techniques and tactics. In addition, he is a Level 3 CSIA, and Level 3 NCCP coach. Patrick is an Alpine Canada Alpin Level 2 official with a thorough understanding of domestic and FIS regulations and protocols.

Patrick returns to NSA, having worked at NSA from 04-06, and again in the 14-18 seasons. Patrick has diverse experience in Eastern and Western Canada with a number of top clubs and elite FIS. Patrick twice earned “Coach of the Year” honours for his work in Alberta

(2002) and Quebec (1996).  His excellent communication skills, unwavering dedication, and ability to foster a positive training environment have earned him the trust and respect of his fellow coaches,  athletes, and their families.

We are excited to welcome Patrick back to NSA!

Will Gyles
Head FIS Coach, FIS Coach, Men

Will joined NSA as a Men’s FIS Coach in 2022. He is an ACA Performance Level coach and has a long history of coaching in Ontario. Will is a product of our provincial system, racing through the ranks at the club, regional, and provincial levels. He has led athletes and teams at Georgian Peaks, Devils Glen, and the SOD Team. Will’s experience includes working with numerous athletes from across Ontario, some of whom have gone on to ski at the Provincial, NCAA, and National Team levels. Will has many years of work experience in the ski industry and brings specific skills related to boot-fitting and race ski preparation. Will is disciplined, organized, and hard-working. He has a high ski racing IQ and his knowledge of the sport development pathway will aid in supporting our athletes. Will is familiar with the independent school system as he is a graduate of Crescent School (’02). Will spent his postsecondary years earning an Honours Degree in History at Queen’s University (’07).

Daniel Gagnon
Fis Coach, Women

Daniel (“Hootie”) Gagnon joined NSA as a Women’s FIS Coach in 2022. We are excited to be welcoming this NSA alumni (’14) and NSA Blake Award winner back to the family. He is an ACA Development Level Coach, working towards his Performance Level certification, and has spent 5 years coaching U16 OCUP at the Toronto Ski Club. He was TSC ‘Coach of the Year’ this past season and instrumental in the planning and logistics for both out-of-province/country training projects. Jeff Jones, our Program Director, adds “Daniel will bring energy and enthusiasm to our school community. His understanding of the athlete’s journey (high school ski academy life and post-graduate experience in the US) will be an asset”.

Louis Florjancic
FIS Coach, Men

Louis is an experienced alpine ski coach with over 15 years of dedicated coaching at the Club Level. He has made a significant impact on young skiers’ development during his tenure at Georgian Peaks and Alpine Ski Clubs, where he consistently fostered a culture focused on development and passion for skiing. Louis is an NSA Alumni, class of ’05, and he holds a degree in Political Science from Western University. As a Performance Level Canadian Ski Coach, he possesses a deep understanding of alpine ski coaching techniques and tactics.

A successful ski racer Louis won gold in GS and silver in SG at the 2003 Canada Winter Games and won the Overall Championship title, of the 2003 Pontiac GMC Cup Series. He brings a wealth of competitive experience having attended five National Championships, Nor-Ams, and numerous FIS races across North America. 

NSA is pleased to welcome Louis back and allow him to share his skills and experience with our student-athletes!

Zak Bensdira
Chef

When Chef Zak arrived at the Academy in the spring of 2018, he immediately had an incredible positive impact on nutritional health of our student athletes. Chef Zak has trained at Le Cordon Bleu and loves introducing our students and staff as well as lucky guests to new cuisine, be it Thai, Italian or French. He has a love for patisseries so there are lots of delicious things on the dessert menu as well. Zak travels on many of the training camps with the student athletes to ensure everyone eats properly and does meal prep and planning with the coaches for away race series throughout the year. Zak lives in Collingwood with his wife and daughter. He hopes this year to be able to once again host the fun and delicious Friday Night Family Dinners!

Robert Pierce
Maintenance and Facilities Manager

Robert began taking care of NSA’s heritage home, Tornaveen (built in 1893) in June 2018. He is responsible for day to day maintenance at the school as well as planning and carrying out the special heritage grant projects to keep our building looking great for its 126 years. Over the past 18 months, Robert has been, and continues to be, instrumental in making sure everyone stays healthy and safe by implementing our COVID-19 procedures and protocols. This summer he has overseen the complete renovation of the kitchen as well as numerous other projects. Robert is retired Canadian military and lives in Collingwood with his wife and three children.

Alex Procenko
Teacher

Alex began teaching at the NSA in the spring of 2018. She is currently on a parental leave, enjoying time at home with her son. She works with both junior and senior students exploring science with inquiry based experiments ranging from meteorite impacts to lung capacity to impacts on ecosystems. She has a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Genetics and a minor in Psychology from UWO and completed UWO’s Bachelor of Education program as part of the first ever STEM cohort. She grew up in Wasaga Beach and now lives in Stayner with her husband. And whether it is fetal pig dissection, coding for robotics or taking her classes outside to explore the spectacular Georgian Bay Biosphere right outside our door, Miss P. brings the exciting world of science into the classroom.

Mary Kawamura
Teacher

This is Mary’s second year teaching senior Physics at NSA and will be adding secondary science and math to her teaching schedule this year. Mary has taught Grade 7 – 12 Math and Science for 18+ years in both independent and public systems across southern Ontario as well as Nunavut, and abroad in Papua New Guinea and Vietnam. She enjoys travelling, immersing herself in new cultures and languages, and hopes to continue travelling soon, but is happy to be back home and spending as much time as possible with her five nieces and nephews. Mary also enjoys hiking the local trails and experiencing the abundance of nature that the Collingwood area offers.

Heather grant
Director of Guidance & Counselling

Heather Grant has over 25 years of experience as a guidance counsellor, teacher, house director and coach at Appleby College, Neuchâtel Junior College (Switzerland) and most recently, Havergal College. In 2018, Heather set up her own private educational consulting practice, Clearview Educational Consulting. Working with students and their families from all over North America, Heather provides expertise and support in a variety of areas including academic and personal counselling, elite athletics and Canadian, U.S. and International post-secondary applications.

With an M.Ed in Educational and Counselling Psychology and an M.A. in Sport Sociology, Heather has devoted her career to providing essential support to students throughout high school and beyond with a primary focus on supporting well-being in all aspects of their lives. Heather loves the outdoors and in the winter months can be found trying to keep up with her husband and kids on the hills at Devil’s Glen.

Carol Tolles
Finance Manager

Carol began working at the NSA in the spring of 2017. She brings over 20 years of bookkeeping experience with charitable organizations and prior to joining NSA worked with the United Way in Guelph. Carol is an avid skier and worked as an instructor for many years. She divides her time between Collingwood and an island in Georgian Bay where her husband manages a marina. Carol’s dog, Gypsy is the official NSA office greeter.

Jeff Jones
Program Director, U16 Head Coach

Jeff Jones brings with him an immense depth of expertise including local and international coaching experience from U10’s at the club level, all the way through the development pipeline to elite U21 athletes at the Continental Cup level. He has been an Interim GM, Program Manager and Head Coach. He has sports psychology acumen and physical training discipline. Jeff is a licensed CSC level 4 Program Director, CSC EL, DL and PL Course Facilitator, Level 4 NCCP coach, Level 4 CSIA instructor and most recently completed his training as a FIS TD.

“I am beyond excited to be selected for this position at NSA,” shares Jeff. “I feel as though I have spent my coaching career building towards this moment and this opportunity. I intend to carry on NSA’s legacy that began in 1986 with founder Jurg Gfeller. I look forward to collaborating with all NSA’s staff to honour our past, deliver great programs now and prepare NSA for the future.

Tobin Walsh
Head of School

Tobin Walsh took on the role of Head of School in 2017-18. Prior to taking on the leadership role at NSA, she had a 15 year career in teaching and educational leadership with the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB). She was a coordinator for the Specialist High Skills Major Programs in the Pathways Department at the TCDSB Catholic Education Centre. She has extensive teaching and leadership experience in the areas of Guidance, Co-operative Education, Geography, Career Studies and Science. Over her career, Tobin has focused on and excelled at building relationships among stakeholders, developing partnerships, building community and the creation of engaging student learning opportunities to enhance student success. Tobin has been involved in the ski industry for close to 30 years, and along with her husband Paul, are members of Alpine Ski Club’s race crew. Their son Jasper is a budding U8 racer.

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