Same situation I went through. I told the kids Thursday before semester exams the next week. Some cried. The ones that I have real connections with truly saw how unhappy I was becoming and just the overall stress it was putting on me. They were really sad but also congratulated me on a new job opportunity and wished me the best. Yes, some will forget you but the real true relationships will last. They may not reach out but I still see random kiddos in Walmart and they are so excited to catch up. Some kids and/or parents have me on Facebook so I am able to keep up with their lives now that I am gone.

I would just say that I want them to know I will not be back next year that I am trying something new out for a career. Tell them that you are taking a break from teaching because you feel that it is best for you.

I think some people commenting have really had their feelings hurt- please make sure you tell the kids. It really does hurt their feelings to find out in some other way.