Mr. Shannon Hensley is in his third year as the Director of Bands for Jefferson ISD. Originally from Silsbee, TX, Mr. Hensley graduated high school in 1988, and then attended Southern Arkansas University to obtain his Bachelor of Music Education degree in 1994. Mr. Hensley’s first position as a band director was in Quitman, TX and then he returned home to Silsbee in 1995 to teach for 8 years. In 2003, Mr. Hensley moved to Northeast Texas to become the Director of Bands for Simms ISD in Simms. He was in the Simms ISD for 16 years, at which time he attended Southern Arkansas University once more to obtain his Masters Degree in Education, focusing on Curriculum and Instruction in 2008. Mr. Hensley joined the Jefferson family in 2019.

Mr. Hensley is married to his wife of 28 years, Annie, who is an Educational Diagnostician with the Western Bowie SSA in New Boston. They have 3 sons, David (27), Daniel (25), and James (19). Mr. Hensley enjoys yardwork, disc golf, golf, lazing about on the porch, and spending quality time with his wife. They also enjoy the company of their two four-legged friends, Romo and Sandy.

Additionally, Mr. Hensley has the proud distinction of serving the country as a SGT in the Arkansas Army National Guard’s 106^th Army Band, serving as a senior musician, playing percussion. He was deployed to New Orleans in 2005 to help in cleanup efforts after Hurricane Katrina, and has been most recently assigned to state active duty during the COVID-19 pandemic. He has traveled with the 106^th Army Band around the country, including Missouri, Georgia, Alabama, Virginia, Maryland, and of course, Arkansas. Playing for governors and former President Clinton has been a bright spot in his career as an army musician.

Mr. Hensley is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association, Association of Texas Small School Bands, Four States Bandmasters Association (immediate Past President), Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity, and Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity.