Started by legendary science teacher Joe Cadbury more than 50 years ago, the Animal Care Club provides students in the fourth and fifth grades with the opportunity to learn how to care for and feed the animals in Geoffrey Selling’s science room. Each fourth and fifth grade class is given three time slots during the year, with approximately eight students per slot; students come from 8-8:30 a.m. each day before school, for approximately two weeks, during their scheduled time. The students care for a chosen animal, often with a partner, for three to four days at a time, and then switch to a different animal. All students are encouraged to participate in the program; second turns are granted once everyone who wants a turn has had a chance.
Animal Care also occurs in Karen Cherubini’s science room during the After School program. This activity takes place twice a week and is geared towards responsible students in third grade and higher. Students learn firsthand how to handle, feed and care for the animals that live in Karen’s room.