Meet RTM Candidate: Harry Postles

Name: Harry L. Postles

Municipality: Middletown Township (Glen Mills)

Party: Republican 

Running For (include district/ward if applicable): Rose Tree Media School Director

Positions Held Previously/Years in Office:

• Judge of Elections, Middletown 4-2; 16 years
• Middletown Republican Committeeman for Middletown 4-2; 3 years
• NSPL Board of Directors; 4 years

What are the larger issues facing the district and how would you like to see them resolved? 

The largest issue facing the district is one that faces all districts today; sustained delivery of a high end educational experience for district students while maintaining rigorous fiscal controls in light of increasing, unfunded mandates with the only resolution being to comply as required. This will be achieved via long term forecasting plans, adapted to account for short term annual changes that will ensure optimized spending to plan. The standard Plan, Do, Check cycle.

How would you create a balance between spending taxpayer dollars and quality education? Are you satisfied with the cost/quality balance in an $84M plus budget? 

The RTM School Boards record of maintaining the balance between cost and quality is already proven. Having the 3rd lowest tax rate in Delaware County while being ranked 13th out of 553 Pennsylvania school districts exemplifies that the financial tightrope walked by the current board has achieved outstanding results. My goal is to work to constantly improve this metric within the levied restrictions and financial commitments imposed upon the district.

How can you improve school district and board transparency with residents? Would you support direct email communication with board members or a live broadcast of board meetings online or on public access television? 

Transparency is not and has never been an issue. School board sessions have never been restricted and are open to any and all who desire to participate. What has changed is the fact that the use of electronic media for the delivery of existing information to a broader audience has become the norm. As with any other decision faced by the board, there is a cost associated with providing this service that needs to be analyzed and reviewed. While this is certainly a wonderful goal, without having all of the information necessary to make a prudent decision based on the financial impact of providing it, I cannot sanction nor reject the option.

Why should residents give you their vote? 

Both of my daughters are now successful Registered Nurses, the foundation of their success is rooted in the educational experience (both scholastic and extra-curricular) received through the RTM system. My pledge to the community, whether they have or do not have enrolled students, is to maintain and improve on the educational cost/benefit ratio provided today while controlling costs for district taxpayers.