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Schools

New Adams Principal Offers Tips for High Schoolers

Kevin Cumming returned to Adams High School this fall as principal.

Kevin Cumming is back home at .

Though the school's new principal worked as an assistant principal at for the past two years, he started out in the Rochester school district at Adams, where he spent 10 years. 

Cumming said he loves the Rochester community and looks forward to getting involved with the students.

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"I work very hard at developing a relationship with students," he said.

Cumming, who has a background in biology, is married to an English teacher and has two children in Birmingham Schools.  He completed his undergraduate degree at Eastern Michigan University and received his Master of Educational Leadership degree at Oakland University. He and his wife began their teaching careers in Texas in the early 1990s before returning to Michigan.

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Cumming is big supporter of his high school's marching band and said he enjoys getting out to sporting events. Family is also important to Cumming, and he enjoys spending free time with family exploring the Eastern Market, camping or attending plays.

Cumming said he is always excited about the beginning of the school year, and he offers some advice for students entering high school. He suggests developing good study habits early and recommends doing homework in chunks with small breaks in between. He also said he has found that working with a "study buddy" can be effective — provided it's not in front of the television.

A healthy balance between social life and academic life is important for students in high school, he said. He also advises parents to get involved in their child's high school.

"Kids will follow your lead," he said. "Show how much you value school."

He adds that high school students should expect to be doing about two hours of homework each night. Cumming encourages parents to check their child's phone and Facebook accounts and communicate with the school about any problems that emerge.  

Cumming said he especially enjoys working with high school seniors as they prepare to leave the nest. He encourages students to find an adult within the school they feel comfortable talking to and to try to build a relationship with teachers.

Patch has profiled several new leaders in the Rochester Community Schools district this year, including , Rochester High School Principal and Hart Middle School Principal .

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