Pep band performances will be coming back to football games after a short break from performances due to a contract dispute between the band directors and Portland Public Schools (PPS).
This September, Portland Public Schools (PPS) band directors pushed for a change in their contract. In the past, they were only paid for teaching their classes and for three out-of-school concerts a year; all other work, including managing pep bands and maintaining band equipment, they did without receiving any pay.
On Thursday night, the Portland Public Schools Board of Education updated the band directors’ contract, allowing them to be paid for extracurricular work, including pep band performances.
The resolution comes just in time for Grant High School’s pep band to perform at the school’s annual homecoming game Friday.