Effective Date: September 11, 2026
Last Updated: September 11, 2026

Santa Monica Academy is operated by Sinica Education Inc. (“SMA,” “we,” “us,” or “our”). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, retain, and protect personal information through www.smalearn.com, our inquiry and enrollment processes, and the learning management system and online educational services we provide (collectively, the “Services”).

1. Information We Collect

Depending on how you interact with the Services, we may collect:

• names, email addresses, telephone numbers, mailing addresses, account credentials, IP addresses, and other identifiers;
• parent or guardian names, contact details, relationships to students, and authorization information;
• student age, date of birth, grade level, school, location, courses, schedules, attendance, assignments, communications, assessments, grades, transcripts, academic history, learning goals, teacher feedback, disciplinary or academic-integrity records, and other educational records;
• applications, prerequisite documentation, prior transcripts, examination scores, enrollment status, course completion, credits, diploma records, and transcript requests;
• service, payment, invoice, and transaction information, although payment information may be collected directly by a payment provider;
• inquiries, emails, messages, feedback, complaints, and customer-service records;
• audio, video, chat, and participation information from live online classes and class recordings;
• device, browser, login, security, and LMS activity information; and
• professional information submitted by school representatives, applicants, instructors, contractors, or partners.

Please do not submit Social Security numbers, government identification numbers, medical information, or other highly sensitive information through a general inquiry form unless we specifically request it through an appropriate secure process.

2. Sources of Information

We collect information directly from students, parents, guardians, school representatives, applicants, instructors, and other users; automatically through the Website and LMS; from schools and educational partners when authorized; and from vendors that support hosting, learning, video conferencing, storage, communications, payments, security, and administration.

3. How We Use Information

We use personal information to:

• respond to inquiries and evaluate applications and prerequisites;
• enroll students and create student and parent accounts;
• provide classes, instruction, live sessions, recordings, assignments, assessments, feedback, grades, credits, transcripts, and academic support;
• communicate with students, parents, guardians, instructors, schools, and partners;
• monitor attendance, participation, progress, course completion, academic integrity, and compliance with academic policies;
• process payments and maintain educational, accounting, and business records;
• operate, secure, troubleshoot, and improve the Website, LMS, and Services;
• comply with accreditation, school, legal, contractual, reporting, and recordkeeping requirements;
• protect the rights, safety, security, and integrity of SMA, its students, and others; and
• carry out another purpose disclosed at collection or with appropriate authorization.

We do not use student information for targeted advertising or create student profiles for noneducational commercial purposes.

4. Essential Cookies and Online Technologies

We use limited cookies and similar technologies that are necessary to operate and secure the Website, process forms, maintain sessions, remember basic preferences, and support login functionality. We do not use cookies for cross-context behavioral advertising or targeted advertising, and we do not sell or share personal information collected through cookies.
You may configure your browser to block or delete cookies, but disabling necessary cookies may prevent parts of the Website or LMS from functioning. The Website may not respond to “Do Not Track” signals because there is no uniform standard for those signals. If our practices change, we will update this Policy and provide any choices required by law.

5. How We Disclose Information

We may disclose personal information to:

• instructors, counselors, administrators, and authorized staff as necessary to provide educational services;
• LMS, hosting, cloud storage, video-conferencing, communications, payment, security, and technical service providers acting on our behalf;
• parents or guardians authorized to access a student’s information;
• schools, districts, colleges, universities, athletic organizations, accrediting or oversight bodies, and other institutions at the direction of the student or parent, as required by an agreement, or as otherwise permitted by law;
• professional advisers, auditors, insurers, and legal counsel;
• government authorities or other parties when required by law or reasonably necessary to protect rights, safety, security, or prevent fraud; and
• parties involved in a merger, financing, acquisition, reorganization, or transfer of the business, subject to appropriate safeguards.

We may disclose information at your direction or with consent. We may also use and disclose aggregated or deidentified information and will not attempt to reidentify it except as permitted by law.
SMA does not sell personal information for money and does not share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising. We do not knowingly sell or share personal information of individuals under 16.

6. Children’s Privacy

SMA serves students in grades 3–12. Children under 13 may not independently submit an inquiry, create an account, enroll, or provide personal information through the Services. A parent, legal guardian, or authorized school must complete those activities on the child’s behalf.
When we knowingly collect personal information online from a child under 13 in a context subject to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, we provide required notice, obtain verifiable parental consent unless an exception applies, collect only information reasonably necessary for the educational activity, allow the parent or guardian to review or request deletion of the child’s information, and maintain appropriate safeguards.
A parent or guardian who believes a child submitted personal information without appropriate authorization may contact us using Section 13.

7. Student Records and School Relationships

When SMA receives or maintains education records for a school or other educational institution, those records may be governed by the institution’s notice, our agreement with the institution, and applicable student-privacy law. Requests concerning records controlled by another school should generally be directed to that school.
When applicable to an online service designed and used primarily for K–12 purposes, SMA does not use covered student information for targeted advertising, create student profiles for noneducational purposes, or sell covered student information except as permitted by law. We maintain reasonable safeguards and delete covered information at the direction of the school when required by law or contract.

8. Class Recordings

Group classes or live sessions may be recorded for instructional access, attendance, quality assurance, or academic administration. Participants will receive notice when a session is recorded. Recordings may include a participant’s name, image, voice, chat messages, shared screen, or class participation. Access is limited to authorized students, parents, instructors, staff, and service providers as reasonably necessary for educational purposes.
Students and users may not download, repost, distribute, publicly display, or use class recordings for another purpose without written authorization. A recording will not be used in public advertising or marketing without any separate authorization required by law.

9. Data Retention

We retain personal information only as long as reasonably necessary to provide educational services, maintain academic and business records, issue or verify transcripts and credits, comply with accreditation, contractual, tax, legal, and recordkeeping obligations, resolve disputes, and protect the integrity of our programs. Retention periods vary by record type. When information is no longer required, we delete, deidentify, or securely dispose of it, subject to lawful exceptions and backup cycles.

10. Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information. No system is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. Users must protect account credentials and promptly report suspected unauthorized access.

11. Privacy Rights and Choices

Subject to applicable law and exceptions, you may request access to, correction of, or deletion of personal information. You may also request information about our data practices or withdraw consent where processing is based on consent. Certain academic records may need to be retained to maintain the integrity of transcripts, credits, diplomas, accreditation records, legal obligations, or disputes.
To submit a request, email mia@liumeihui.com with the subject line SMA Privacy Request or call 310-388-8750. We may verify identity and authority before completing a request. An authorized agent may submit a request where permitted by law. We will not unlawfully discriminate against a person for exercising applicable privacy rights.
If the California Consumer Privacy Act applies to SMA, California residents may have rights to know, access, correct, delete, and obtain information about collection and disclosure; to opt out of sale or sharing; to limit certain uses of sensitive personal information; and to receive equal service without unlawful discrimination. During the preceding 12 months, SMA has not sold personal information or shared personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising.

12. International Users and Third-Party Services

SMA is operated in the United States. Information may be transferred to, stored in, and processed in the United States and other locations where our service providers operate. Privacy protections may differ from those in your country. The Services may link to third-party platforms whose practices are governed by their own notices and terms.

13. Changes and Contact Information

We may update this Privacy Policy and will post the updated version with a revised date. We will provide additional notice or request consent when required by law.

Questions and privacy requests may be directed to:
Sinica Education Inc., operator of Santa Monica Academy
12100 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 785
Los Angeles, CA 90025
Email: mia@liumeihui.com
Telephone: 310-388-8750
Website: https://www.smalearn.com