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Friday, November 13, 2026Nov 13

Officials hosting forum Monday to talk school start times, capacity and growth

Staff photo by Abby White / Hamilton County Commissioners Chip Baker, left, and Steve Highlander discuss their notes during a commission meeting Aug. 20, 2025, at the County Courthouse.
Staff photo by Abby White / Hamilton County Commissioners Chip Baker, R-Signal Mountain, left, and Steve Highlander, R-Harrison, discuss notes at the commission meeting the day of the Plan Hamilton vote Aug. 20, 2025.

Hamilton County officials are set to host a community forum Monday focused on school issues in the Signal Mountain, Mountain Creek and Walden areas.

District 2 school board representative Ben Daugherty, R-Signal Mountain, will host the forum with the district’s Hamilton County Commissioner Chip Baker, R-Signal Mountain.

While the forum’s discussion is open to the will of the crowd, physician Suzannah Bozzone is slated to present her view that middle and high schools should explore later start times.

Baker said he also expects to discuss school capacity and Plan Hamilton, the county’s new comprehensive growth plan for unincorporated Hamilton County.

“We want to hear what’s on the community’s mind,” Baker said in a phone interview Wednesday.