Terms of Service

1. Agreeing to these terms

By applying to, joining or using Vector Academy (including this website at vectoracademy.xyz), you agree to these Terms of Service. If you do not agree, please do not use Vector Academy.

Most of our students and tutors are under 18. A parent or legal guardian must read and accept these terms on their behalf, and must approve their child's participation before any tutoring begins.

2. About Vector Academy

Vector Academy is a non-profit, volunteer-run program that provides free one-on-one online tutoring for students aged 7–14 (usually Grades 3 to 8).

Tutoring follows what students are learning in class under the Ontario curriculum, in these subjects:

• Math, English, Science and French
• Computers* — computer science basics, such as code.org, Scratch and beginner Python
• Social Studies* — including History and Geography for Grades 7 and 8

* Computers and Social Studies are offered when a qualified tutor for that subject is available.

Students who want to explore a subject more deeply than the curriculum may also apply, as long as we can match them with a tutor who understands the full subject.

Our tutors are high school students aged 13–18 (usually Grades 9 to 12) who volunteer their time. They are not certified teachers.

3. Who can join

Students must:

• Be enrolled in an elementary or middle school, usually in Grades 3 to 8
• Have an email address (a school board email is preferred for security)
• Have approval from a parent or legal guardian

Tutors must:

• Be aged 13–18 and enrolled at a school accredited by the Ontario Ministry of Education (usually Grades 9 to 12)
• Have an email address (personal or school board)
• Have approval from a parent or legal guardian, unless the tutor is 18
• Complete the tutor recruitment steps in Section 4

Student applications are currently made through our online application form. Tutor applications are opening soon.

4. Tutor recruitment

To become a Vector Academy tutor, a candidate must:

1. Be aged 13–18 and attend a school accredited by the Ontario Ministry of Education.
2. Present valid government-issued photo identification to confirm their identity.
3. Submit a high school transcript showing a grade of 85% or higher in each subject they want to tutor. Grade 9 candidates submit their final Grade 8 report card instead.
4. Complete an interview so we can assess reliability and aptitude.
5. Complete a training session and sign an agreement to follow applicable laws and these terms, and to teach responsibly.
6. Retake the training session every year.

5. Tutoring sessions

• Sessions are one-on-one, held online through a video-conferencing platform approved by Vector Academy.
• Sessions take place between 4:00 pm and 9:00 pm (Eastern Time).
• Sessions last 45 minutes for Grades 3–5 and 1 hour for Grades 6–8.
• Students may take up to 3 subjects at a time, and no more than 2 sessions (2 hours) per day.
• Tutors may tutor up to 4 subjects at a time, and no more than 4 sessions (3 hours) per day.
• Students and tutors receive an automated reminder email 1 hour before each session.

Cancelling a session:

• Students must cancel at least 8 hours before the session.
• Tutors must cancel at least 12 hours before the session.
• Frequent cancellations or missed sessions in a month may lead to the account being suspended.

Tutors may only use teaching tools and materials that have been authorized and approved by Vector Academy.

6. Progress, ratings and volunteer hours

Some of the features below are part of the Vector Academy platform as it is being built, and will apply as they become available.

• Students earn points (stars) that reflect their dedication and time spent learning. Tutors may use these to track academic progress.
• Parents and guardians are routinely updated on their child's progress, and may receive suggestions for next steps.
• Tutors receive a rating out of 10 stars from students and parents, reflecting reliability, dedication and reputation.
• If a tutor's rating falls below 7 stars, the tutor must take part in a review of their teaching, which may include the people who reviewed them.

Volunteer hours for tutors:

• Tutors' hours are documented and count toward the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) 40-hour community involvement requirement.
• Tutors can view their documented hours on a volunteer transcript, and can request a printed record for their school guidance office on the 1st of each month.
• Parents and guardians of tutors are routinely notified of their child's tutoring and volunteer hours.
• When a tutor graduates or withdraws, their profile is disabled for tutoring but kept so they can view past records, and they receive a final volunteer-hours transcript.

7. Code of conduct for tutors

Tutors must always be respectful to their students and to parents and guardians, and must follow all applicable laws. Tutors must not:

1. Use tutoring sessions for any purpose other than tutoring.
2. Use foul language or make abusive threats.
3. Use unauthorized tools to teach.
4. Display or share any inappropriate content.
5. Miss more than two scheduled sessions.
6. Share what happens in a session with anyone other than the student's parents or guardians.
7. Record anyone during a session.
8. Go over their daily tutoring limit.
9. Arrive after, or leave before, the student without a valid reason.
10. Misuse or abuse the Vector Academy system.
11. Commit or help with academic dishonesty, such as doing a student's work for them.
12. Provide false information in any records submitted to Vector Academy.
13. Behave abusively in any way.
14. Harass anyone, or make racist or demeaning statements or displays.
15. Share their personal contact details with students.
16. Accept any payment, gift or bribe.
17. Invite anyone else into a session.

8. Code of conduct for students and parents

Students should be kind, eager and motivated to learn, pay attention to their tutor, and be respectful at all times. Students (and parents or guardians, where it applies) must not:

1. Use tutoring sessions for any purpose other than tutoring.
2. Use foul language or make abusive threats.
3. Use, share or access any inappropriate content.
4. Miss more than three scheduled sessions.
5. Share confidential information from a session with anyone other than their tutor and their parents or guardians.
6. Record anyone during a session.
7. Arrive late or leave early without a valid reason.
8. Misuse or abuse the Vector Academy system.
9. Commit academic dishonesty, such as asking the tutor to complete graded work.
10. Behave abusively in any way.
11. Harass anyone, or make racist or demeaning statements or displays.
12. Invite anyone else into a session.

9. Breaking the rules

If someone breaks these terms, Vector Academy may give a warning, suspend the account, or permanently remove learning or tutoring privileges.

If a violation is reported with sufficient evidence, the account may be permanently removed. Where the law may have been broken — especially anything that puts a child at risk — we will report it to the appropriate authorities.

10. Safety and reporting concerns

If anything in a session makes a student, parent or tutor uncomfortable, please tell us right away at support.vectoracademy@gmail.com. We take every report seriously.

If a child is in immediate danger, call 911. If you are worried about a child's safety or well-being, you can also contact your local Children's Aid Society.

11. Free of charge

Vector Academy is free for students and families. Tutors are volunteers and must never ask for or accept payment of any kind.

12. Disclaimer

Vector Academy supports — but does not replace — a student's school, teachers or any professional help they may need. Our tutors are volunteers, not certified teachers, and we cannot guarantee any particular grades or results.

The program and this website are provided "as is". We do our best to keep sessions running smoothly, but we cannot promise they will always be available or free of interruptions.

13. Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Vector Academy and its volunteers are not liable for any indirect or consequential loss arising from use of the program or this website. Nothing in these terms limits any liability that cannot be limited under the law.

14. Changes to these terms

We may update these terms as Vector Academy grows. When we do, we will change the "Last updated" date at the top of this page, and we will let families and tutors know about important changes by email.

15. Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada that apply there.

16. Contact us

Questions about these terms? Email us at support.vectoracademy@gmail.com.