Charlie Hensley is the new Transportation Director for USD 234

Charlie’s background- “Joined the Army in July of 1989 right out of high school. I was stationed at Ft. Benning, GA and assigned to 197th Infantry Division, 4/41 Field Artillery. Shortly after, I deployed to Iraq in Operation Desert Shield/Storm. After several years of active duty my term ended and I returned to Washington State where I started a new career in the Automotive Industry as a painter and Tow Truck driver. After being in the automotive industry for several more years, I joined the United States Army Reserve and changed careers again to become a United States Army Reserve Administrator, assigned to the 385th Transportation Battalion out of the Port of Tacoma in Washington. While serving in the Army Reserve, I was deployed again, this time to the Port of Kuwait where we undertook various Transportation Duties on land and at sea.”

Why Charlie enjoys this new position & what he hopes to bring to it-
“As the Transportation Director for USD 234, I really enjoy working with the community,
staff, and especially the children. Our kids, as well as the Bus Drivers’ safety is of the
utmost importance as well as getting our children to and from school. Being a bus driver
is a thankless job and I hope to change that. If we all come together, we can and will
accomplish the mission.”

Charlie & his family-
I was born in Barstow, CA and raised in Washington State. Through my years, I have had several different careers from sweeping floors to overseeing millions of dollars of Military Equipment, to include large tugs and floating cranes. I met my wife while working on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA in 2010. Moved to the Fort Scott area in 2017 and I joined the USD 234 School District working with the High School kids in 2021. Our goal is to retire in the area. Combined, we have 5 children (3 out of the home),2 dogs and 2 cats. I enjoy hunting and fishing, especially river fishing when possible.

A message from Charlie-
“With the world in these trying times, we need more smiles and less hate. Together as a community we can make a difference; separated, we will crumble.”

Submitted by
Haley Jones
Administrative Assistant/Communications Coordinator
Fort Scott USD 234
620-223-0800 Ext 1119

Candace Jobe. Submitted photo.

Candace Jobe, 37, has been the new MIS Clerk, Special Education Assistant, and U234 Board Clerk, since July 17.

“MIS and Special Education Assistant are the same thing,” she said. “I will be taking care of Paras and tracking training hours for them and helping our Special Education Teachers with various duties. Also, working in our Special Education Reporting Systems as well as assisting our Director, Tonya Barnes (she’s AMAZING) with any other tasks she has.”

“For Board Clerk I will be attending all board meetings, working with the Superintendent and Board President, recording minutes from board meetings, acting as custodian of records, and other duties as assigned to the clerk,” she said.

She grew up in Uniontown, school K-12, and graduated in 2005. “Being a part of a school has been my whole life with my Mom, Rolene Lowry, being West Bourbon Elementary School Secretary for 31 years and my Dad, Leon Lowry, as a Bus Driver/Custodian for 38 years,” she said.  “I had the best of both worlds, working parents and stay-at-home parents. My brother also worked for the school district for over 10 years.”

After high school, she attended college in Oklahoma City and worked at the Bank of Oklahoma as a teller and then later in bond trading.

“We moved back closer to family and I worked at West Bourbon Elementary for the past nine years,” she said.

She and her husband, Joel, have two dogs, one of whom, Molly, gets to come to work with her every day.

“We are working towards her certification as a therapy dog and will be in the middle/high school to assist students and staff in any way needed,” she said.
“Being able to combine two things that I am VERY passionate about (kids and dogs) is something I can’t believe I get to do every day!”

“I am so thankful for the opportunity to work for USD 234,” she said. “Everyone has made me feel so welcomed and appreciated already. I don’t think any of the staff will ever know how much that has meant to me.”