FOLEY, Alabama - For the second year, Foley High and Baldwin County education officials are teaming up to continue an attendance initiative aimed at educating students. Administrators met with students Wednesday who had five or more absences last semester to kick off the program.

The initiative's goals are to bolster attendance numbers and achieve higher graduation rates, according to assistant principal Lynn Harrison. Through the program, administrators and faculty seek out at-risk students to provide them with resources, including access to a list of social agencies and appointments with counselors.

"We're always concerned about attendance and we want to keep graduation rates up, especially in regard to the individual success of our students," Harrison said.

Foley is the largest school in the county, with approximately 1,700 students currently enrolled and a 91 percent graduation rate last school year. Disciplinary referrals are also down since the initiative started last January, according to Harris.

"When you look at our demographics and our size, many of our students are juggling a lot, some are working to help with the family income. Some of these students might never be in front of my desk for disciplinary reasons, but poor attendance tells us they need support," Harris said. "If we don't take the initiative to reach out to them, they might not get it. They need support and we are absolutely dedicated to giving it to them."

Dr. Lorry Redditt, a Baldwin County Board of Education attendance officer, said the county's attendance office offers similar programs at schools throughout the district. Foley High principal Russ Moore and other faculty have been especially aggressive in attempts to reach out to students, Redditt said.

"Research shows that higher attendance rates are more indicative of course success, even more than IQ," Redditt, who oversees 15 schools in southern Baldwin County, said. "From this community involvement, parents and students know we care. Foley's approach is very positive and proactive."

As a general rule, Baldwin County students are allowed five excused absences per term, according to attendance rules. Exceptions can be made for medical emergencies and family issues, Redditt said.

"I had a girl last year who had emergency medical surgery during her senior year, so we provided her with the resources she needed, like tutoring and class material, to graduate on time," Redditt said.

The initiative comes after the school board approved $2 million last week to spend on MacBook laptops for high school students in the county as part of a "Digital Renaissance" venture started by Superintendent Alan Lee. Along with the portable technology, students will have access to WiFi to replace textbooks. Every high school student in Baldwin County will have a laptop by August, according to Redditt.

"With technology integration in schools, for everyone to have a laptop, will motivate students even more to learn and attend school," Redditt said.