CHATTANOOGA ENGINEERS CLUB
http://www.utc.edu/~engrcs/cec/cec.htm
Volume L October 4, 1999 12:00 NOON
Number 35 The Loft, 328 Cherokee Blvd.

THIS WEEK____________________________________________________________
Joe Hunter, Director of Technology, Girls' Preparatory School, will present GPS's wireless network. Topics will include laptops in the classrooms, RF technology and how it is deployed at GPS, and future plans for technology at the school.

LAST WEEK____________________________________________________________
Fred Carr, Assistant Superintendent for Business Services of the Hamilton County Department of Education, reported the technology status of our school system. Mr. Carr said the state of affair at Hamilton County Schools after the merging of city and county schools is good. With the rezoning, some technology improvements, and planning with the welfare of our next generation in mind, our schools are better than before.
All 81 county schools are connected via WAN, with ISDN and T1 lines. Plans are being made for fiber connections. Over half of the schools have a computer in each classroom that is connected to the network. The school network is part of the city government network, it is also connected via T3 to the Board of Education in Nashville. Standards in hardware and software have been implemented for the school system. There is on going staff training, but resource is a problem for training and support. Mr. Carr believes that basic computer knowledge is necessary for every Hamilton County schoolteacher. With changing technology, and capable young computer users, we have to develop a different mindset from "Teachers Know All".
Steve Ball, principal of Tyner Academy, was also present to report on the new Math and Science Magnet school. With 420 students, implementing standard curriculum, with added focus on math and science electives, such as CAD, anatomy, bio-ethics, science writing, etc., Tyner hopes to produce students ready for 21 century workplace. Mr. Ball described the problem base learning curriculum being implemented at Tyner. Students at Tyner assembled PC's and cabled the classrooms this year.
Both Fred Carr and Steve Ball promised a better presence of Hamilton County schools for Science Fair 2000.

COMING PROGRAMS___________________________________________________
October 11 - Mike Moeller, VP of Sales for East Tennessee at US LEC, will be discussing the
steps in starting and building a new telephone company in Chattanooga, as well as a discussion on this constantly changing and evolving business as services quickly evolve to voice over IP and data applications.
October 18 - Bill Chapman, Building the foundation for EPB Telecommunications.
October 25 - Joint field trip with AIChE (American Institute of Chemical Engineers) Chattanooga
Local Section for a tour of the Center for Laser Applications at the University of
Tennessee Space Institute (UTSI) in Tullahoma, TN.
Please email (copeland@cstcc.cc.tn.us), phone (697-3212), or fax (697-3325) in
reservation by October 18 to Lulu Copeland.

News from the Community_____________________________________________________
Three area students are among 400 semi-finalists in the Discovery Young Scientist Challenge, a new nationwide science competition for students in the fifth through eighth grades. Lisa Abel, 8th grade student of Bill Derbyshire at St. Jude School, Ty Bennowitz, 7th grader sponsored by Tonya Mullinax at Cleveland Middle School, and Adam Dizer, 8th grade student of Kevin Lee at Boyd Buchanan are eligible to become one of the


1999 Officers
President Greg Sedrick
697-4456 (fax 697-3131)

1st VP Ed Chapin
Program Chairman 266-9720 (fax 266-9737)

2nd VP Lulu Copeland
Membership Chairman 697-3212 (fax 697-3325)

Treasurer Uwe Zitzow
756-4321

Secretary Phil Kazemersky
755-5311 (fax 755-5229)

Bulletin Editor Lulu Copeland