As you may know by now, our band director Gary Riler and all other PPS band directors have been leading after-school band competitions, festivals, pep band performances, and parades without pay since 2023. Their commitment to our students and to the music program have gone far above and beyond what’s required.
We believe that no educator should be expected to donate dozens of hours of time without compensation — especially for activities that benefit so many students and represent our schools in the wider community.
We’re asking families, students, and community members to contact Portland Public Schools (PPS) district leadership, the Portland Association of Teachers (PAT), and the PPS School Board to express your support for PPS Band Programs and Mr. Riler and to request that his time and contributions be fairly compensated moving forward.
To make this as easy as possible, we are including a short template here, and a longer version on our website, as well as the contact information for the School Board, Portland Association of Teachers (the teacher’s union) contacts, and the PPS District emails.
Dear [Name or Title],
I’m writing to express my support for Mr. Gary Riler, our school’s band director, as well as all PPS Band Directors. For the past two years, these educators have volunteered significant time after school — leading their students in competitions, festivals, and parades — without pay. This level of dedication to students and our music program deserves recognition and compensation.
[Personal message – feel free to include what band means to your student, personal experiences, feelings and sentiments]
I strongly urge you to take steps to ensure that Mr. Riler and all of our PPS band directors are fairly compensated for the work they do beyond the classroom.
Thank you,
[Your Name], [Your Role/Connection to School]
If you, like me, are incensed by the unjustness, here is a more forceful version:
A Call for Equitable Compensation for High School Band Directors
To the PPS District Administration, PPS School Board, and PPS Union Leadership:
I am writing to you today with profound disappointment and a strong sense of urgency regarding the stalled negotiations on compensation for our high school band directors. For two years, these dedicated educators have gone without fair pay for their essential work beyond the school day. This isn’t about extra credit; it’s about equitable compensation for time spent leading pep band, marching in parades, participating in community festivals, and preparing for band competitions. These are invaluable opportunities for our students to shine in areas outside of traditional academics and athletics.
It’s clear that our district values extracurricular engagement — we see this in the support and stipends provided to our athletic coaches, whose work inspires school spirit, teaches teamwork, and builds confidence in our students. We wholeheartedly support this investment. At the same time, we believe that the same recognition and support should be extended to our band and choir directors, who dedicate countless hours outside the school day preparing students for performances, parades, festivals, and competitions.
Activities like pep band, concerts, and parades play a vital role in enriching school culture and strengthening connections between students and the community — just as athletics do. Music programs build confidence, leadership, and pride, and deserve to be treated with the same seriousness and respect. Budget decisions reflect priorities — and by investing equitably in both athletics and the arts, the district can send a powerful message: that all student interests and talents are valued.
The new school year is upon us, and with it, the first high school football game. Will we really allow yet another aspect of the high school experience to be stripped away from our students? Our families are already contending with large class sizes and the uncertainty of sending students to a different school for their final two years. Now, you risk the heart and soul of our band programs by refusing to compensate our directors for the time they pour into our students and our community.
It is time to end this two-year stalemate. Show our students and our community that you value their artistic and musical contributions as well as their athletic ones. This isn’t just a matter of fair pay; it’s a matter of upholding the promise of a well-rounded and equitable education for all students. Fund our arts programs, and pay our band directors for their tireless work.
Contact Information
By reaching out, you’re helping ensure that our educators are treated fairly and that our school continues to offer strong, supported music programs for all students.
