BOSTON -- Nothing like a pre-dawn phone call from Red Sox slugger David Ortiz to get you out of bed in the morning.At least thats the idea behind a Boston Public Schools initiative that starts next month, when middle- and high-school students will be able to sign up for wake-up calls from Big Papi.Wake up! Its David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox. Get out of bed and get ready for school. Your future is yours, he says on the calls.The 40-year-old All-Star designated hitter has said hell retire after this season. He leads the majors in slugging percentage, on-base average and extra-base hits this year.Boston schools superintendent Tommy Chang said Monday the goal of the Ortiz calls is to help kids get to school on time and fight absenteeism.Boston Mayor Marty Walsh called it a fun, outside-the-box approach to a chronic problem. Nationwide, the U.S. Department of Education says more than 6 million students -- 13 percent of all school-age Americans -- missed at least three weeks of school in the 2013-14 academic year, the most recent for which figures are available.Red Sox president Sam Kennedy said he hopes the calls, which are being offered free of charge, will help inspire, motivate and encourage children to attend school. The calls will be available in English and several foreign languages, though Ortiz wont be speaking all of them.Bostons school system ran a pilot of the wakeup calls last year, trying them out on two dozen students at the Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers, a charter high school in the shadow of Fenway Park.Xaquiel Martinez, a 9th-grade student there, acknowledges he was tardy to school nearly every day before getting the wake-up calls, which helped him get out the door on time.With Ortiz wrapping up his final season with the Sox, Changs office says it may tap the New England Patriots for a future call.No word on whether Tom Brady or Rob Gronkowski could be rousing students next.---Follow Bill Kole on Twitter at https://twitter.com/billkole . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/journalist/william-j-kole . Francisco Lindor Jersey . The Masters champion and winner of last weeks Australian PGA has a three-round total of 14-under 199 at Royal Melbourne. "Im in a really good position for tomorrow," Scott said. Yan Gomes Jersey .J. -- Seven games into a disappointing season, New York Giants defensive catalyst Jason Pierre-Paul is getting the feeling hes back. http://www.cheapindiansjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-ricky-vaughn-jersey .C. -- Kemba Walker and the Charlotte Bobcats got off to a fast start, and the Sacramento Kings were never quite able to catch up. Cheap Indians Jerseys Authentic . Burke is expected to miss two to three months after breaking a finger in the teams third preseason game. Tinsley, a 10-year veteran, spent the last two seasons in Utah, where the point guard averaged 3. Satchel Paige Jersey . The Celtics closed out their first preseason under Stevens on Wednesday night with a 101-97 victory over the Brooklyn Nets, who rested a lot of their lineup including former Celtics Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. HOOVER, Ala. -- Alabama is the pick to win another Southeastern Conference title.The Crimson Tide received 223 of 331 total votes by the leagues media one year after winning the league and national titles. LSU received the second-most votes with 59 while Tennessee had 29.Alabama and Tennessee were the overwhelming favorites to win their respective divisions. In the West, Alabama received 246 first place votes (2,220 points overall) to finish well ahead of LSSUs 76 first-place votes and 1,984 points.dddddddddddd Mississippi was picked to finish in third, followed by Texas A&M, Arkansas, Auburn and Mississippi State.In the East, Tennessee received 225 first-place votes and 2,167 total points. Florida was in second, followed by Georgia, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Missouri and South Carolina. ' ' '