Five Pieces of Advice for Letter of Resignation/Personal Reasons

Writing a letter of resignation can seem difficult but doesn’t have to be. Using the following pieces of advice, the task of writing an effective letter of resignation will be an easy one to complete.

First, the letter should be addressed to the proper administrators, including the district superintendent, campus principal and the school board. Though you can send the original letter to the superintendent and copies to the other persons, I recommend you send originals to all the recipients. The letter should be addressed in a business style with the current date, address of the school district and correct greeting using the title and last name of the recipient. End the letter with appropriate closing such as ‘best regards’, ‘sincerely’ or ‘yours truly’. I personally recommend using ‘sincerely’. It should also include your typed name and a space for your original signature.

Secondly, the letter should be brief and to the point. Generally I recommend no more than one page with two to three paragraphs. The very first paragraph should state your reason for resigning as well as the effective date. When resigning for personal reasons, it is sufficient to simply state that you are leaving for personal reasons. However, if you desire to go into more detail, then make it simple. That is, briefly state the specific reason such as due to declining health, or moving away, etc… There is no need to go into great detail and it detracts from the purpose of the letter.

The next piece of advice is to make the letter positive even if the reason for leaving is not positive. State the positive aspects of your time on the job. Make a statement regarding your professional growth and the people you have worked with during your tenure. The letter should never be negative. The old adage “don’t burn bridges behind you for you never know when you might need them” is a good rule of thumb to follow. A negative letter can create a negative work environment, especially if your resignation is not immediate.

Fourth piece of advice is to include a brief statement of gratitude for the opportunities you have had during your time on the job. It’s good to remember that regardless of why you are leaving, every job provides learning opportunities and growth. The district administration will appreciate your acknowledgement and gratitude.

Finally, the letter should be typed not hand-written. A typed letter with original signature shows professionalism. Though you may have a personal relationship with one or more of the administrators, knowing when to be professional and when to be casual speaks well of you. A typed written letter should be presented even if you have given an oral statement of resignation.

A well written letter of resignation will speak volumes about your character and professionalism as you prepare for what lies ahead