Terms & Conditions

1Agreement to These Terms

By submitting a reservation, making a payment, or otherwise participating in the program, you agree to be bound by these Terms on behalf of yourself and any school, classroom, organization, or individual you represent. If you do not agree, do not reserve or use the program.

If you are entering into these Terms on behalf of a school, parent-teacher organization, district, or other entity, you represent that you have the authority to bind that entity to these Terms.

2Definitions

• “Program” — The Classroom Vault time capsule program, including the kit, lesson materials, storage, recordkeeping, and senior-year delivery coordination.
• “Customer” / “you” — the person or entity that reserves and pays for the Program (for example, a teacher, school, PTA/PTO, parent committee, or sponsor).
• “Kit” — the physical capsule and accompanying lesson and activity materials we ship to you.
• “Capsule” — the sealed time capsule and its contents created by a participating classroom or group.
• “Participant” — a student who contributes to a Capsule.
• “Sending School” — the elementary school where the Capsule is created.
• “Destination School” — the high school designated to receive the Capsule for the senior-year opening.
• “Storage Term” — the period from our receipt of a completed Capsule until its scheduled delivery, based on the Participants’ grade level at creation.
• “Delivery Window” — the period during which we coordinate and attempt delivery, generally around the Participants’ projected senior year of high school.
• “Program Fee” — the one-time fee for the Program ($250 per classroom or group at the current rate), plus any selected add-ons.

3The Program & What Is Included

Subject to these Terms, the Program includes: a physical Capsule; a K–4 lesson plan and student activity materials; climate-controlled, secure storage for the full Storage Term; professional recordkeeping; coordination of senior-year delivery to the Destination School; an opening ceremony guide; and a prepaid return shipping label. A current description of inclusions appears on our website and is incorporated by reference.

The Program is designed for kindergarten through fourth-grade (K–4) classrooms and groups. We may update, improve, or substitute materials and components of equivalent or greater value from time to time without reducing the core service you purchased.

4Eligibility & Authority to Purchase

The Program is intended for purchase by schools, educators, parent-teacher organizations, parent committees, sponsors, and similar parties acting in connection with a K–4 classroom or group. You are responsible for ensuring that participation complies with the policies of the Sending School and its district, including any approvals, notifications, or parental-consent requirements that apply to classroom activities.

5Reservations & Order Acceptance

Submitting a reservation is an offer to purchase. Your reservation is not accepted, and no contract is formed, until we confirm it and receive payment. We may decline or cancel any reservation at our discretion, including where information is incomplete, where we cannot reasonably serve the location, or where required school approvals are not in place. If we decline a reservation after payment, we will refund amounts paid for that reservation.

You are responsible for providing accurate and complete information at the time of reservation, including the Sending School, teacher, grade level, approximate Participant count, and a best-estimate Destination School.

6Fees, Payment & Taxes

The current Program Fee is $250 per classroom or group, charged one time. Add-on services are charged at the prices listed at the time of reservation. The Program Fee covers the Storage Term and senior-year delivery coordination described in these Terms, with no recurring storage fees, annual charges, or delivery surcharges.

Payment is due upon reservation unless we agree otherwise in writing. We accept the payment methods identified at checkout. For schools and PTA/PTOs, we may accept purchase orders or checks by arrangement; the Program ships once payment is received or a purchase order is accepted in writing.

All fees are stated in U.S. dollars and are exclusive of any applicable taxes, which are your responsibility where they apply. We may change our prices prospectively; the price in effect when your reservation is accepted applies to that reservation.

7Kit Shipment & Capsule Return

After your reservation is accepted and paid, we ship the Kit to the address you provide. Title and risk of loss for the Kit pass to you on delivery to the carrier. Please inspect your Kit on arrival and notify us promptly of any missing or damaged items so we can arrange a replacement.

You are responsible for completing the Capsule and returning it to us using the prepaid return label within 120 days of receiving the Kit, or within another period we communicate. We are not obligated to begin the Storage Term until we receive the completed Capsule. If a Capsule is not returned within twelve (12) months of Kit shipment and you have not made other arrangements with us, we may treat the reservation as fulfilled and are not obligated to provide storage or delivery.

8Capsule Contents & Prohibited Items

You and the Sending School are solely responsible for what is placed inside a Capsule. We do not open, inspect, catalog, or verify the contents of sealed Capsules. You are responsible for ensuring contents comply with all applicable laws and with the policies of the Sending School and its district, and that any required parental notifications or consents are obtained.

Prohibited and discouraged items

The following must not be placed in a Capsule:

• Perishable items, food, liquids, plants, or anything that can rot, mold, leak, or attract pests;
• Batteries, electronics that may leak or corrode, magnets, or anything that may damage other contents over time;
• Hazardous, flammable, or regulated materials of any kind;
• Illegal items, or anything that violates school or district policy;
• Currency, jewelry, electronics, irreplaceable heirlooms, or other items of significant monetary or sentimental value.

We strongly recommend including only flat, stable, archival-friendly materials such as paper, drawings, photographs, and small lightweight keepsakes. We are not responsible for damage to other contents caused by prohibited or discouraged items, or for the condition of any item over the Storage Term.

9Long-Term Storage

Upon receiving a completed Capsule, we log it, assign it a unique Capsule ID, and place it in climate-controlled, secured storage for the Storage Term. The Storage Term is included in the Program Fee regardless of its length, which varies by the Participants’ grade level at creation (generally about eight to thirteen years).

We will use commercially reasonable care to protect Capsules during storage. We may relocate, consolidate, or change storage facilities and providers at our discretion, provided we maintain a comparable standard of care. Long-term storage of paper and keepsakes carries inherent risks of natural aging; we do not guarantee that contents will be free of deterioration over many years.

10Recordkeeping & Your Duty to Keep Information Current

We maintain records for each Capsule for the Storage Term, including the Sending School, teacher, grade level, school year, approximate Participant count, designated contact, backup contact, and Destination School.

You are responsible for keeping your contact information and Destination School current with us. A great deal can change over a decade — staff leave, families relocate, and schools reorganize. We rely on the information you and your designated contacts provide. We recommend that you:

• Designate a durable backup contact (for example, the Sending School’s main administrative office or the district office) in addition to any individual contact;
• Review and update your Destination School and contact details when Participants reach approximately 7th or 8th grade; and
• Notify us promptly of any change in contacts, school assignment, or delivery information.

We are not responsible for a failure or delay in delivery that results from outdated, inaccurate, or incomplete information where no timely update was provided.

11Senior-Year Delivery

The Program is a classroom- or group-level service. We coordinate delivery of the Capsule to the single Destination School designated for that Capsule. We do not deliver to, contact, or track individual Participants, and we do not guarantee that any particular Participant will attend the Destination School, be present at the opening, or be notified of it. Notifying Participants and facilitating the opening are the responsibility of the receiving school.

Delivery timing is an estimate based on the Participants’ grade level at creation and typical K–12 progression. We generally begin coordinating with the Destination School during the Delivery Window (commonly twelve to eighteen months before the projected senior year). Actual timing depends on school schedules, calendars, and the receiving school’s availability and cooperation, and may vary.

We provide an opening ceremony guide as a courtesy resource. We do not control whether, when, or how the receiving school conducts an opening, and we are not responsible for a receiving school’s decision not to participate, its scheduling, or the manner of any event.

12School Changes, Closures & Consolidations

If a Sending School or Destination School is renamed, relocated, merged, consolidated, or closed during the Storage Term, we will use commercially reasonable efforts to identify and deliver to the appropriate successor institution using the records and contacts on file. Delivery to a successor or merged institution satisfies our delivery obligation. We are not responsible for delivery failures caused by undocumented changes or by a failure to keep records current under Section 10.

13Undeliverable or Unclaimed Capsules

If, after commercially reasonable efforts during and following the Delivery Window, we are unable to deliver a Capsule — for example, because no Destination School or successor will accept it, or because contact information is no longer valid — we will attempt to notify the last known contact on file. If a Capsule remains undeliverable for [a defined period — e.g., twenty-four (24) months] after the Delivery Window, we may, at our discretion and after reasonable notice to the last known contact:

• Return the Capsule to the last known Sending School or contact, at the Customer’s expense; or
• Securely store, donate, or responsibly dispose of the Capsule and its contents.

We have no obligation to store a Capsule indefinitely and no liability for actions taken under this Section after providing reasonable notice.

14Cancellation, Refunds & Early Retrieval

Before the Kit ships

You may cancel for a full refund of the Program Fee if you notify us in writing before your Kit ships.

After the Kit ships

Once the Kit has shipped, the Program Fee is non-refundable, whether or not the Capsule is completed or returned. Add-on fees are non-refundable once the related materials or services have been prepared.

Early retrieval

Requests to retrieve a Capsule before its scheduled delivery are handled case-by-case. We may require written authorization from an appropriate contact, may charge a reasonable retrieval and shipping fee, and will return the Capsule to a verified address at the Customer’s expense. Early retrieval ends our storage and delivery obligations for that Capsule, and no portion of the Program Fee is refunded.

15Disclaimer of Warranties

The program, the kit, storage, and delivery coordination are provided “as is” and “as available.” To the fullest extent permitted by law, we disclaim all warranties of any kind, whether express, implied, or statutory, including any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. We do not warrant that contents will remain in any particular condition over the Storage Term, that any specific Participant will receive or open a Capsule, or that delivery will occur on any specific date.

16Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, our total liability arising out of or relating to the program or these terms will not exceed the program fee actually paid for the affected capsule.

We will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages, or for any loss of, or damage to, sentimental or emotional value, even if advised of the possibility of such damages. Because the contents of a Capsule are personal and often irreplaceable, you acknowledge that monetary damages cannot reasonably measure their value, that you are advised not to include irreplaceable items, and that the limitations in this Section are a fundamental basis of the bargain. Some jurisdictions do not allow certain limitations, so portions of this Section may not apply to you.

17Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless The Classroom Vault and its owners, employees, contractors, and agents from and against any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or related to: (a) Capsule contents; (b) your or a Sending School’s failure to obtain required approvals, notifications, or parental consents; (c) your breach of these Terms; or (d) your violation of any law or any school or district policy.

18Privacy & Information About Students

We collect only the information reasonably needed to operate the Program and coordinate delivery, generally at the classroom or group level (such as school, teacher, grade, school year, approximate Participant count, and Destination School). Our handling of information is described in our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated by reference.

The Sending School and Customer are responsible for compliance with laws and policies governing student information and parental consent, which may include the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), and applicable state laws. We do not request individually identifiable student records beyond what is necessary for the Program.

19Intellectual Property & Program Materials

The lesson plan, activity pages, guides, website content, “The Classroom Vault” name, logos, and related materials are owned by us or our licensors and are protected by intellectual-property laws. We grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to use the Program materials solely for the single participating classroom or group, for non-commercial educational purposes, in connection with your purchase.

You may not copy, resell, redistribute, sublicense, or create derivative works from the materials, or use our name or marks, except as expressly permitted. All rights not expressly granted are reserved.

20Business Continuity & Assignment

We recognize that the Program involves long-term commitments. We intend to honor storage and delivery obligations for the full Storage Term. We may assign or transfer these Terms and our obligations, including to a successor in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, provided the successor assumes the storage and delivery obligations. In the event we are unable to continue operating, we will use commercially reasonable efforts to transfer Capsules and obligations to a qualified provider or to notify affected Customers and arrange return of Capsules. You may not assign your rights or obligations without our consent, except that a Sending School’s designated contact role may be reassigned by the school.

21Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. The version in effect when your reservation is accepted governs the core service purchased for that reservation. Updated Terms apply to new reservations and to the general use of our website upon posting, with the effective date shown above. Continued participation after an update constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms to the extent permitted by law.

22Governing Law & Dispute Resolution

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Kansas, without regard to its conflict-of-laws rules. The parties will first attempt to resolve any dispute informally by contacting us at the address below. If a dispute is not resolved within [30] days, it will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the state and federal courts located in Butler County, Kansas, and you consent to personal jurisdiction there.

23Force Majeure

We are not liable for any failure or delay in performance caused by events beyond our reasonable control, including natural disasters, fire, flood, severe weather, theft, acts of God, war, civil unrest, labor disputes, utility or carrier failures, governmental actions, pandemics, or facility closures. If such an event affects a Capsule, we will use commercially reasonable efforts to mitigate the impact.

24General Provisions

Entire agreement. These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any Storage & Delivery Policy and reservation details, are the entire agreement between you and us regarding the Program and supersede prior understandings.

Severability. If any provision is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in full effect, and the unenforceable provision will be modified to the minimum extent necessary.

Waiver. Our failure to enforce a provision is not a waiver of our right to enforce it later.

No third-party beneficiaries. These Terms do not create rights in any person who is not a party to them, including Participants and families, except as expressly stated.

Headings. Section headings are for convenience only and do not affect interpretation.

25How to Contact Us

Questions about these Terms or the Program can be directed to:

The Classroom Vault
Midwest Educational Services, LLC
PO Box 242 Towanda Kansas 67042
Email: info@theclassroomvault.com