As a special education administrator for the Chicago Public Schools since 2017, Mr. Essex has been working hard to make a difference in the lives of the children.
CHICAGO, IL, September 20, 2023 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present Christopher Essex with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Mr. Essex celebrates many years' experience in his professional network, and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes he has accrued in his field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
As a special education administrator for the Chicago Public Schools since 2017, Mr. Essex has been working hard to make a difference in the lives of the children. Involved in education for over 30 years, he leverages his former achievements as a paraprofessional, teacher, athletic director, and administrator to much of his success. His diverse career has included serving as the principal at Oasis Preparatory School in Orlando, Florida, as an instructional practice administrator for the Chicago Public Schools, and as the assistant principal at Ombudsman Schools and the Phillips Academy High School. Mr. Essex also spent over a decade as a special education teacher and dean of students at Orr High School in Chicago.
In addition to his full-time commitments in the classroom, Mr. Essex has found success coaching boys' varsity cross country, boys' varsity track, boys' varsity football, and girls' softball as the athletic director at Orr Community Academy High School in Chicago. He also briefly worked as a life insurance producer for Primerica in Hinsdale, Illinois, in 2000.
Throughout his distinguished tenure in education, Mr. Essex was responsible for successfully turning around the Wendell Phillips Academy High School in Chicago, a chronically underperforming inner-city public school, in 2010. Having to almost completely overhaul the entire teaching staff, including the custodial and lunchroom employees, he and his team implemented an entirely new culture and environment. After nine grueling months, they succeeded, and the school was recognized for highest academic gains for Illinois high schools (ISBE) 2010-2011, has won 2 Illinois state football championship titles, and now offers a substantial football field and a state-of-the-art basketball complex.
Mr. Essex received a Master of Science in special education from Dominican University in 1998, and a Master of Arts in school leadership from Concordia University in 2006. He also holds several relative credentials in education, including certification in learning disabilities, social disorders, and school leadership through the Illinois State Board of Education and in school leadership and exceptional student education through the Florida Department of Education. Additionally, Mr. Essex has received the Who's Who Among America's Teachers award (1998, 2000, and 2005), and Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities award (1998).
Active in his professional community, Mr. Essex is a member of the American Federation of Teachers and the Illinois Council for Exceptional Children. He was featured in two interviews by Florence Simmons in Education Connection, highlighting his success. Mr. Essex's inspiration, dedication, and leadership have been instrumental in his professional success.
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