Meeting Rescheduled for Feb. 22 at Lansdowne

The IAABO Board 23 general membership meeting originally scheduled for Monday, Feb. 8, has been officially rescheduled for Monday, Feb. 22 at the Lansdowne High School cafeteria. Start time is 7 p.m.

Dues for the 2010-11 season are due on this date (or before, if you wish to mail the membership form and check to treasurer Damian Biggs). Please pay your dues timely in order to be a member in good standing and thus participate in the nomination process, which will take place at the Feb. 22 meeting, that will help determine candidates for the IAABO Board 23 Executive Committee for 2010-12.

Damian and I will arrive at Lansdowne around 6 p.m. if you wish to arrive early and pay your dues in person. The 2010-11 Board 23 membership form can be found on the Current Members page of iaabo23.org.

All checks should be payable to IAABO Board 23.

Thanks,
PK

BCPS Pushes Back Title Games

Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) have moved their boys' and girls' basketball championship games from Friday, Feb. 19 to Tuesday, Feb. 23, according to The Baltimore Sun.

The move allows county schools to utilize the full week of Feb. 15-19 to make up games that were postponed due to the recent (and soon to come) snowstorms.

Check your e-mail as frequently as possible during the next few days as games are rescheduled through ArbiterSports.com. Be sure to keep your availability up to date as well.

-PK

AACPS to close two hours early Feb. 5

Anne Arundel County Public Schools have already announced that they will close two hours early on Friday, Feb. 5, and all school-sponsored activities for Feb. 5 are postponed.

Expect games to be rescheduled for next week.

Nothing yet from Baltimore County Public Schools, but it wouldn't be a surprise if they followed suit.

Keep your availability up to date at www.arbitersports.com.

Feb. 8 Meeting Likely Postponed to Feb. 22

Be on the lookout tonight for an e-mail from president Gary Stewart. Given the impending weather forecast for this weekend and the possible need for officials to be available Feb. 8 to work makeup games, the Feb. 8 Board 23 meeting will likely be postponed to Feb. 22. I say "likely" because we have not confirmed the availability of Lansdowne High School to host the meeting. But stay tuned.

As always, be sure to keep you availability up to date at www.arbitersports.com, as AACPS and BCPS will likely have several games to reschedule if Friday's slate is wiped out.

-PK

1099s Mailed

If you earned more than $600 through Anne Arundel County Public Schools, by way of a check from IAABO Board 23, in calendar year 2009, check you mailbox over the next couple days for the tax form 1099.

AACPS, BCPS cancel school-sponsored activities Feb. 2

The Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) and Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) have canceled afternoon and evening school-sponsored activities, including basketball games, for Feb. 2 due to the forecast of impending snow this evening and tonight.

According to baltimoresun.com, AACPS has moved its Feb. 2 slate of games to Feb. 3, which will make it a busy day for Board 23 as Feb. 3 already contains many BCPS games.

Be sure to keep your availability up to date as games will be rescheduled. To update your availability, log on to www.arbitersports.com.

-PK

And We're Off!

Friday night was opening night for public high school basketball in Maryland. So the long march for boys' teams to UMCP and girls' teams to UMBC has begun! I was very excited to get back on the floor for high school basketball and hope you felt the same way. Remember you are representing yourself and Board 23 as you officiate, so be professional, make your calls and hustle, and it will be a good season.

I am in the process of scoring NFHS exams and completing the paperwork necessary to register officials with the MPSSAA. I will advise when that process is complete and scores are available. At the January meeting, I will have the scantron forms with answers marked so you can use it as a study guide if you wish.

Some of you have asked me for IAABO patches. I have ordered more and will post a note here when they arrive.

Have a great season!

PK