When it comes to being a teacher, one thing that affects many but is rarely discussed beforehand is resignation. Although being a teacher can be a dream come true, sometimes being in the wrong school district might make it a little less than amazing.
One of the only solutions is to pass on a resignation letter in these situations, likely in a way that’s similar to the process you first used for your resume. While there’s a general template for resigning from an office or retail job, leaving a job as a teacher is more complicated, whether moving between schools in a district or districts as a whole. It can prove incredibly difficult to find work replacements and the process can be very personal. So, here’s how to write a teacher resignation letter:
What Do I Include?
Typical resignation letters include five things:
- Contact information for you and the recipient
- Introduction/salutation
- Body paragraphs/reasoning behind resigning
- Conclusion
- Signature
What’s the Best Way to Write?
While the template for a teacher resignation letter is generally straightforward, it’s more challenging to be concise and get your point across quickly. As such, there are a few things you need to keep in mind while writing:
1 – Stay on target – resignation letters should have a formal letter outline and information on your reason behind resigning. That’s it. Resignation might complicate things behind the scenes, but it can simply be a request to leave for your connection with your employer.
2 – Ensure you provide enough time for your school to act – In New Jersey, teachers must give a 60-day notice before they plan to resign. It is up to each school district to waive this contractual requirement or not. This helps prevent schools from being faced with a time crunch in finding a replacement teacher, alongside providing time for the ordeal to pass. As such, make sure to give a reasonable period for a replacement before sending your letter.
3 – Be confident – Maybe not in the form of writing, but rather in your decision. It can be hard to find another teaching job, whether thanks to gaps or leaving yours suddenly, so be sure you have a way to act moving forward, like through K12JobsNJ.
4 – Be professional – Offer positivity and the chance for a meeting with the heads of your school before you’re gone. If you have an issue and you’re not confident it can be solved, make sure you’ve worked it out with the higher-ups beforehand to ensure there’s no solution past resigning, and make sure to follow up after the meeting. Nonetheless, not all districts offer exit interviews, so if you are offered the opportunity to do one, please take advantage of it.
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Resignation Letter Template
Name
Street Address
City, State, ZIP
XXX – XXX – XXXX
Date
Contact
Name
Title
Institution
Street Address
City, State, ZIP
Dear _______________,
“Reasoning behind the resignation, note on the time spent with your employer and option to leave a good luck or professional note.”
Sincerely,
Signature
Name
Resignation Letter Example
John Doe
123 Address Lane
Bettertown, NJ, 07101
[insert your telephone number here]
April 3rd, 2022
Jane Doe
Principal
Professional School
122445 Education Drive
Okaytown, NJ, 07101
Dear Principal Doe:
I am writing this letter to inform you that I plan to resign from my current position as teacher of 6th Grade Biology two months from delivery. My last day will be [insert your last day of work].
I will be moving on to a new position. Thank you for the opportunity I enjoyed at your school district. I greatly appreciate everything I have learned and accomplished at your district and I am grateful for it.
Please feel free to reach out if there is anything I can do to make the transition as smooth as possible.
Sincerely,
[insert your signature here]
John Doe