Chapel Hill - Much to the relief of players and parents, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro school board has approved a teaching position for Chapel Hill High School boys basketball coach Tod Morgan. Morgan initially was among six first-year teachers at CHHS whose jobs were cut because of budget shortfalls. But CHHS interim principal Steve Scroggs, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Superintendent Neil Pedersen and CHCCS personnel director Hazel Gibbs scrambled to find funding to preserve as many jobs as possible. Pedersen put Morgan’s name before the school board last Thursday for a teaching position in next year’s budget. The board’s approval at that meeting means Morgan should return as a health and physical education teacher somewhere within the CHCCS system for 2009-10. And that smoothed the way for CHHS to renew Morgan’s position as basketball coach. “This is some wonderful news! In this economy, just knowing you have a job is very good news,” Morgan told CHHS team members and parents. The question remains whether or not Morgan’s teaching position will be posted at Chapel Hill High School. Pedersen's recommendation did not specify where the job would be situated, and recent budget cuts may necessitate Morgan going to another school to replace another vacated post. Still, having coaches teach at the same school with their respective team has long been the preference for the school system, and Morgan hopes he can keep teaching at CHHS.

-chn-