Community Engagement

Our school fosters a welcoming community for students that extends beyond the classroom walls.
Our family and buddy program, summer program, after-school enrichment classes, and birthday party program create inclusive opportunities for meaningful cross-grade connections and student leadership. Through these shared experiences, our students strengthen relationships and feel a sense of belonging.
Family and Buddy Program
JTD’s Buddy and Family Program fosters lasting relationships and a strong sense of community by pairing younger and older students as “buddies” within 21 cross-grade “families” spanning Grades K-6.
Each family, led by Grade 6 students with faculty and staff support, participates in organized activities throughout the year, creating meaningful connections. Students, faculty, and staff remain with their designated family throughout their JTD experience, strengthening bonds over time. Younger students benefit from mentorship and attention from their older buddies, while older students take pride in their leadership roles.

List of 3 items.

  • How are buddies arranged?

    Each family includes 18–21 members made up of students from Kindergarten through Grade 6, along with 3-4 faculty and staff members. Kindergarten students are paired with Grade 3 students and welcomed into their new JTD families. Grade 1 students are paired with Grade 4, and Grade 2 with Grade 5. Grade 6 students serve as Grandbuddies to the Kindergarten and Grade 3 students, fondly remembering welcoming their 3rd grade buddies when they were new Kindergarteners. 

    Pairings are thoughtfully arranged by faculty and staff with input from rising Grade 2 and Grade 5 students, who share what matters most to them in a buddy. This helps ensure connections are meaningful and reflective of each student's personality and preferences. If a student joins JTD at another grade level, we make sure they’re welcomed into a family and paired with a buddy.


  • What are the benefits of the Family and Buddy Program?

    The program provides students with valuable opportunities to develop essential social and emotional skills such as empathy, effective communication, and responsibility. Younger students receive guidance and support, fostering a sense of belonging and confidence. Older students grow as leaders by serving as role models for younger students. Additionally, the program facilitates meaningful interactions across grade levels and with faculty and staff members outside of the classroom, cultivating unique and lasting relationships that strengthen the school community as a whole.

  • What kind of activities do families participate in?

    • Learning about cultural and heritage months through collaborative projects, interactive games, and food shared together
    • Playing “get to know you” games
    • Spending time together at Buddy Recess and Spirit Days
    • Sitting together during Lunch on the Lawn
    • Gathering to play games, make crafts, and collaborate in service learning activities
Student Clubs
Throughout the school year, JTD students have the opportunity to explore their interests and curiosity through a variety of student clubs and activities.
Upper School students participate in clubs as part of their school day, developing skills in leadership, teamwork, organization, and responsibility. Core clubs include The Greyhound Gazette, Student Council, Culture Club, and Service Learning Club. Additional clubs take place during lunch and lunch recess, engaging younger students in meaningful experiences.

Examples of student clubs include:

List of 5 items.

  • Culture Club

    Promotes awareness, acceptance, and appreciation of diverse cultures within our community and city through activities, music, food, and other engaging experiences. Students share their identities, express themselves, and learn from one another.

  • New Greyhound in Town

    Welcomes new and former transfer students, offering games and activities to help them adjust to JTD. Former transfer students serve as mentors, creating a supportive and inclusive space.

  • The Greyhound Gazette

    Develops writing, editing, and publishing skills through a student-run publication where young journalists interview teachers and peers—creating a unique reflection of the JTD community that is shared with students, families, faculty, and staff.

  • Student Council

    Empowers students to take on leadership roles, plan school events, and represent their peers. Student Council members lead our school in various events, including Halloween, Spirit Week, and other festive school occasions, fostering school spirit and engagement.

  • Service Learning Club

    Focuses on community service initiatives, encouraging students to make a positive impact. The club often highlights student voice and passion, providing opportunities for students to lead service projects and advocate for meaningful causes.

In the Spotlight

List of 3 news stories.

  • Winner of the Wuersten Award for the Class of 2025

    By Penn Kessler ‘25
    The Wuersten Award is presented to the sixth grade student who has written the most insightful composition on the subject “What The John Thomas Dye School Means to Me.”

    The compositions are written at school by any sixth grader who would like the opportunity to reflect on their years at JTD. They are presented anonymously to the faculty who read and vote on their favorite. The award is presented at graduation and the essay is read as part of the ceremony.

    Dr. Helmut Wuersten, whose son, Eric, attended JTD, established the award many years ago. During a severe rainstorm, Eric and a group of fellow students worked all day to save the front driveway, which was in danger of being washed away. Dr. Wuersten saw this act as a true expression of the deep feelings these students had for their school and desired to honor a member of the graduating class who could best articulate those feelings.

    The following essay was written by Wuersten Award Winner, Penn Kessler ‘25
    Continue reading ›

  • Celebrating Pride Month: Honoring Identity, Love, and Acceptance

    By Sigita Newsom
    June is Pride Month, a time to recognize the LGBTQ+ community and their many contributions and achievements. Throughout the month, people around the world come together to promote equality, kindness, and acceptance—no matter who someone is or who they love.
    Continue reading ›

  • Family Fun to Close the Year

    By Sigita Newsom
    This week, we wrapped up the school year with our final all-family assembly—and we truly ended it with
    a bang! The event was filled with laughter, energy, and a wonderful sense of community as students,
    faculty, and staff participated in Minute to Win It games and a campus-wide scavenger hunt.
    Continue reading ›
READ MORE COMMUNITY NEWS
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The John Thomas Dye School


11414 Chalon Road
Los Angeles, CA 90049
Phone: (310) 476-2811
The John Thomas Dye School admits students of any race, color, religion, sexual orientation, or national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, or national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic or other school-administered programs.

Located In Los Angeles, CA, John Thomas Dye is an independent school for grades K-6. Students benefit from a challenging academic program, fine arts, competitive athletics, and a wide selection of extracurricular activities.