Animals always bring a classroom to life, especially in a biology class.  Science teacher Josy McLean has not one, not two,but five critters in her classroom of 319.

One of her animals is a Red Tail Boa. The snake’s name is Sammy and originally came from a friend’s child.Sammy is 10 years old and loves people.

“I think the snake enjoys to be held,” McLean said about the friendliness of Sammy.  

Not only does he like to be held; he also likes to wrap himself around anyone who decides to hold him.

Sammy is fed dead rats and mice to avoid aggression from killing live animals.

Another student favorite is her Bearded Dragon, Rex.  Rex also came from a student.

Rex is non-poisonous and likes people to hold him up on their shoulders, McLean said.

There are also two African cichlid fish and one African clawed frog.

“I don’t have names for the fish or the frog,” she said, “{They’re} not very touchy feely.”

The fish were bred in captivity, and McLean got the frog from a student.

During the summer, she does not take the animal’s home. They live at CMR year round, the biology department take turns to coming in to feed them.  McLean’s love for animals extends to her home, where she is “mother” to a Golden Retriever.