Superintendent’s Message

You on a Dime?

Recently, on a visit to one of our schools, I was greeted by a 2nd grader who said, “Hi, Dr. Rosenberger.” What followed next was a strange comment by the young man right behind the student. He inquisitively asked, “You on a dime?” Without much time to ponder, I somewhat nodded and rolled my head while walking away, void of having a solid response.  I struggled to try and understand his question as his class moved on to the next activity. Could he have meant, “Johnny on the spot,” which would have indicated I was prepared or ready for a challenge. No, I don’t think that was his question. Could he have literally asked if I was standing on a dime? Probably not, as I had already moved away from the class. Another teacher guessed that the young man may have been questioning whether I was on the “clock”.  Was I getting paid for my time there at his school. Most likely he wasn’t too worried about my work schedule.

Fortunately, I received some assistance from a couple of other teachers. It seems this young man’s class was currently studying coins and the similarities between Franklin D. Roosevelt and my name must have turned a light on for him. I didn’t have the opportunity to return and correct the student by acknowledging that I’m not on a dime, let alone President of the United States, or for that matter, dead. However, I was intrigued to learn that in 2nd grade, our students were grasping an understanding of money.  How often do we provide a cashier with a $5, a quarter and a penny instead of $6 when the charge is $5.26 and find the cashier is confused by the transaction and cannot provide accurate change?

Are money skills really that necessary if we are moving to a cashless society? It is a rarity if I ever have coins or cash in my pocket. Yet, this is one of the standards for our young folks in the lower grades. Even our legislators are drafting bills requiring a half unit of Financial Literacy for high school students. Will understanding the value of coins and cash be necessary in a few more years when every transaction is plastic or some other form of technology?  What I do know is that, if this young man needed to purchase an item for .10, all it would take is a dime!

Dr. Richard Rosenberger

Mission & Vision