Head of new Hamilton County STEM school announced

photo Space in the rear of this former Olan Mills building will be the site of a STEM school at the Chattanooga State campus. The Wacker Institute is already operating in the front of the building.

An engineer-turned-educator will lead Chattanooga's new science, technology, engineering and math high school.

Hamilton County Schools officials announced that Tony Donen, principal of Nashville' Fairview High School, will take helm of the school, which is set to open in the fall on the campus of Chattanooga State Community College.

Donen has an engineering degree from Virginia Technical University but has worked in education for 15 years, nine of those as a principal, officials said.

The local STEM school, which is yet to be named, is being partly funded by a state grant aimed at better preparing students for jobs in math and science. The school will open with 75 freshman in the fall and will reach its capacity of 300 students within four years.

STEM students will be selected from all Hamilton County high schools in a live lottery on April 30.

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