Privacy, Safety, and Respect
When it comes to an online experience, most of us have three critical questions…
Here, in the True North Book Clubs, the answer to all three questions is a clear and confident YES!
When you join a True North Book Club, here’s how you can know that your student will have a safe, private, respectful experience of learning and fun…
Before the Club Meets
Preparing for Safety & Respect
Your Club is a safe place of learning—and before a Club meets, all students and families receive a Respect Guide detailing respectful Member behavior that’s expected in the room. You can be assured that we, along with other families just like yours, are here to ensure a safe place to enjoy story, learn, and grow.
Login Privacy: The Waiting Room
When logging on, individuals are sent to a waiting room. Guides only let individuals into the room who are approved and on the Official Club List.
Login Privacy: Only Members Attending
All attendees’ authenticity is checked before letting Members into the room. Unless you’ve let your Guide know via email that you may be late, because of the need to maintain safe privacy measures, Members who arrive after the Club’s start time are not allowed into Club Meeting.
Login Privacy: Member Verification
Once logged in (and before the Club begins), Club Members come on camera and their microphone to confirm their identity with a wave and hello. Members can then keep the camera on or turn off the camera. We encourage a camera-on experience but realize that not all feel comfortable on camera—so the choice is yours!
During the Club
Your Name’s Privacy
In the room, Club Members never use their full name on screen—always using only a first name and last initial—so your last name is kept private. If you’d like to use a made-up name, you may; you’ll simply need to let the Club Guide know, so that he or she can know who you are when letting you into the room.
Chat Privacy
For privacy and safety, only the Guide sees the Member Chat. The Guide reads and reflects comments and questions from the Chat to all other Club Members—so ideas and comments from Chat are indeed shared, for a lively discussion!
Video Safety & Respect
For respect, the video is monitored for appropriate behavior. If during the Club there are disruptions of any kind in the chat or video, a student is automatically removed—so that all in attendance can enjoy an emotionally safe place of great discussion and learning.1
1We take our Members’ safety, security, and respect seriously! Members removed for inappropriate behavior will not return to the Club and will not receive a refund for any remaining Club dates. By signing up for a Club, Members are agreeing to this Policy.
After the Club
Recorded Video Privacy
We strive to give your family the utmost privacy. Student first names and last initials are used in the Club meetings, and we refer to students by their first names only. All efforts are made to keep a student’s view off camera for the recording, with only the Guide showing up on the recording. Please see the FAQ page for more: https://truenorthbookclub.com/faqs/.
Recorded Video Accessibility
Your Club video will be available for viewing after the Club—so you can know that what took place is positive.
Questions? Contact us here. We’re happy to help.
To find out more about our policies, go here.
And Here are More Details…
Your Guides
Your Guides are professional, seasoned communicators, master teachers, and experts who know how to personally create an environment of safety, security, and engagement. You can be confident that your child is engaging with persons who care passionately about your family getting the best experience possible, when you join the perfect Book Club for your student.
Parent Attendance
Parents accompany Club Members ages 12 and under—so you know your child is safe, secure, and respected.
Younger Students’ Clubs
The Young Readers, Elementary Readers, and sometimes Middle Grade Club Members enjoy activities with crafts, wipe-off boards, and other interactive learning and discussion tools. Members (and their parents/attending adults) may be asked to show their crafts and wipe-off board “answers” on screen… but it’s not required!
Middle Grade Clubs
Middle Grade Club Members may attend without a parent or adult on screen; however, we do recommend that parents of Middle Grade students, if not watching or involved in the Club, are in the room and nearby while the Club is LIVE.
Young Adult Clubs
Young Adult Club Members may attend without a parent or adult. After the Club, video of the Club time will be available for family adults to view and review.
Your Privacy, Safety, and Respect is of Utmost Importance—
And you can be assured that the system, processes, and people working with your kids and young adults are professional, respectful, and excited about working together with you to help your student learn and grow!