He gets things fixed: Schools' zone manager keeps facilities functional

What makes John Hensley and his San Diego Unified School District crews swing into action?

“When a window breaks, the toilet stops working or when a gopher takes over the infield, that’s where we come in,” said Hensley, the school district’s zone manager who oversees the daily upkeep of 110 schools throughout San Diego.

While he doesn’t actually do the fix-it work himself, “I’m the guy our principals call when they have a problem their own crew can’t solve,” said Hensley. “It’s not always that simple, but we’re always working to solve whatever issues come up.”

Last year, his crews responded to more than 35,000 work orders that required the services of his 150 electricians, plumbers, carpenters, and maintenance staffers.

“I really like putting those numbers out there, because it’s a great achievement,” said Hensley, who’s been with SDUSD for 18 years, the past two in his current role. “I’m very proud of our team.”

An Ohio native and former U.S. Marine Corps officer, Hensley earned his UC San Diego Extension professional certificate in facilities management in 2011. Soon after, he got a promotion to his current role.

“All of a sudden, it opened up doors,” he said. “Being enrolled in classes directly related to my profession, offered insights, gave me confidence, and helped me get out of a place where I felt I was stuck. Having UC San Diego Extension classes on my resume indicated that I was continuing to improve my skill set and created opportunity.”