How Mr. Phillips’ 0 Period Helps His Students

Planner to keep grades and assignments (Nick Bernwanger And Andrew Lopez/ Lincoln Lion Tales)

This year, coach Adrian Phillips started the 0 period program as a way to help students with low grades raise them. His goal was to provide students who struggle or find themselves getting off task with a tool that they would be able to use now and later in life to stay organized and on track. He uses grade checks to track students’ grades and see which classes the students need to put extra effort in to raise the grades.

The way that grade checks work is that the students are provided with an academic planner and they write their grades for each of their classes and what they need to do in that class. Then the student gets it signed by their teacher. We asked Mr. Phillips if he thought that the grade checks were working and he said, “I think it helps them be more accountable and understand what’s going on versus checking infinite campus. It makes it more realistic because now you’re going to talk to the teacher, you have to interact with the teacher.”

Lion Tales wanted to know if Mr. Phillips thinks that 0 period is helping the students, his response was “I think for the kids that take it seriously and come everyday and use it as a helping tool and use all the processes given to them it is a helpful tool.”

The writers of this story joined the 0 period program earlier this year because we were struggling in some classes. As athletes, we sometimes find it hard to keep up with homework because of evening games and practices. 0 period provides a quiet place to focus on work and complete assignments. It also holds us accountable to doing our best to improve grades. Overall, we believe that the 0 period program is helpful and should continue for future students.

“Sometimes kids at your age tend to get lost and forget to do things and need to get reminded,” coach Philips said.