PORTLAND — Prominent husband-and-wife city residents Ken Kunin and Beth Stickney will be moving to Italy in June.

Kunin, former principal of Deering High School, said Tuesday that he has taken a job as secondary principal at the American Overseas School of Rome.

It’s one of 30 jobs he applied for in 17 countries. Kunin accepted the position before his first visit to Italy in April, he said. He starts July 1 and plans to work there for two to four years.

Stickney, executive director of the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project in Portland, is stepping down from her position effective June 10, Kunin said. Stickney is a lawyer with United Nations experience and may seek a similar position in Rome.

Their daughter, Simi, will attend fifth grade at the American Overseas School, which serves 650 students in kindergarten through high school, Kunin said.

About 30 percent of students at the school are Italians seeking an American-style education, he said, while 30 percent are children of Americans living in Rome and 40 percent come from other countries.

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“It’s a great opportunity for the whole family,” said Kunin, who has been working as a senior researcher for the Center for Education Policy, Applied Research and Evaluation at the University of Southern Maine.

While in Italy, the family will learn to speak Italian and visit various sites throughout Europe, Kunin said. They also plan to maintain their home in Portland and eventually move back here.

Staff Writer Kelley Bouchard can be contacted at 791-6328 or at: kbouchard@pressherald.com

 


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