Yes, it's that time of year already when international teachers start to think about whether they're remaining or leaving their school for the following school year. Back in September 2022, I wrote this article: Three Reasons to Leave your School and One Reason to Stay, where I go over a few tricky scenarios that may help that decision.
But let's say you've already decided that this is your final year at your school. So... when do you announce your departure?
First, I recommend speaking with your Head of School, a few weeks to a month after school has started. You certainly don't want to approach them on Day 1, but you also don't want to delay until the letters of contract renewal are sent out. You'll need their reference, and perhaps permission to attend job fairs so the sooner you meet with them, the better. Ask them for a short meeting and if they ask to know what it's regarding, you can simply say "recruitment". I'm always a proponent for open & honest discourse so I'd recommend not skipping this step.
Then once you've had your meeting with your Head of School, you can let your Principal know. If you have a Department Head, IB Coordinator, or anyone else in middle leadership, they're the next ones to inform. It's important that at each step, you thank them for the opportunity to work with & learn from them, thus leaving things professional and amicable. They may be your much-needed references, and the better you leave things with them, the more favourable the recommendation.
Once your leadership team has been informed, next up are your colleagues - department and/or grade-level. Depending on how close you are to them, your departure might not come as a big surprise.
If you haven't already done so, please be sure to connect with all your school colleagues on your LinkedIn account. Moving forward, you never know when you'll need to get in contact with any of them and it's very handy to remain in contact with them there. Who knows? They may end up working at your dream school, and your maintained connection could help get your foot in the door. My Tip o' the Week number 2 out of 42 job search tips is all about the advantages of having an up-to-date LinkedIn.
Finally, you'll want to let your students know that you'll be leaving. Some teachers may elect to do this at the end of the school year, while others may let them know soon after the school knows. It'll all depend on your situation. When I got hired at my new school one December, I was excited to let my secondary students know straight away, as it meant I could share my excitement about learning a new language and culture. Being able to openly talk to those students from my new country, I was happy to learn about their favourite places to visit, favourite food to try, and favourite traditions that they miss. It was something that brought us closer together. I even took language lessons after school with a sophomore student who happened to be the ambassador's daughter!
I hope reading through this, you'll see that there are advantages to openly informing your school about your departure. If you're not in an ideal school situation, where for example, one of the school leaders won't take this news well, try to find a sympathetic advocate who could serve as a reference. However, the best case scenario would be where you're at a supportive school community who are happy for your progression on your career path, and understand that leaving eventually is all part of being an international teacher.
Need some advice on the timing and process of your announcement? Wish you had someone outside your school organization with whom you could talk confidentially? That's what I am here for! I can help you, not only with your job search and résumé, but also to advise you on your particular situation. Having been an international teacher and school leader for over 20 years, I have seen and dealt with a lot of sensitive issues. I can help, just reach out!
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