BY NEAL A. Johnson

Chamois R-I Tiny Pirates earned Missouri MOve Smart Child Care Advanced Level recognition, with a presentation Friday by Lauri Choate of Child Care Aware of Missouri, and Senior Nutritionist Lisa Lauer, M.S.Ed., and Brad Bashore, both of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS).

Chamois R-1 Tiny Pirates Preschool Director Gretchen Dudenhoeffer has been working to get the preschool certified as a “Move Smart” school for some time.

Students are engaged in physical activity often each day. “We do a lot of gross-motor movements, be it dancing or something else that gets them moving,” she said earlier this year when Tiny Pirates achieved recognition of excellence through Missouri Accreditation, which distinguishes the preschool as an exemplary program offering high-quality programming to the children of Missouri. The program was launched in the 2015-16 school year.

Dudenhoeffer said she is very pleased. “Receiving this award was a huge accomplishment for us,” she said. “We all worked really hard the past school year implementing the Physical Activity Policy in our handbook, activities and new dancing songs to do with the kiddos and training. My assistant teacher and two substitutes worked hard in getting the required training to meet the MOve Smart standards. Physical activity is so important for our kiddos, it helps with not only building a healthy body but also helps with cognitive development, critical thinking, and problem-solving.”

R-1 Board President Steve Cramer said that in a few short years the district has gone from starting the preschool — or possibly not having one — to having a waiting list. “Receiving these types of awards shows the dedication of the hardworking staff,” he said. “Active children lead to active and healthy adults.”

Tiny Pirates currently has 15 students enrolled.

Superintendent Lyle Best added there are many benefits to physical activity in youth.  “The physical fitness component is one benefit but there are many others as well,” he said. “We know that physical activity is important for brain development, social development, and learning cooperation. The program is really creative in how they incorporate physical activity into their daily routines and learning experiences outside of structured play time.”

To earn the MOve Smart recognition, Tiny Pirates adopted new standards for physical activity developed by DHSS. The standards aim to boost physical activity practices and improve the health and wellness of children birth through age 5. 

The MOve Smart recognition program is open to all licensed and license-exempt child care facilities throughout Missouri. The program has two award levels, core and advanced. Core-Level Recognition applicants must achieve six physical activity best practices, and Advanced-Level applicants must complete the Core-Level requirements plus six additional.  

Tiny Pirates has achieved the advanced-level recognition, which demonstrates a commitment to the health of the children in their care. 

“Children who are active throughout the day are establishing life-long healthy habits to grow up at a healthy weight and reduce their risk for chronic diseases as they age,” said Bashore. “Physically active children are more likely to become active adults.”

Dudenhoeffer was presented a MOve Smart banner, “Swat the Fly” game materials and instructions, a MOve Smart recognition letter for families, a framed certificate, and a MOve Smart backpack.

Childcare facilities achieving MOve Smart status are recognized for two years. They must reassess their practices before receiving recognition for another two-year term. 

More information about the MOve Smart criteria and recognition can be found at: http://health.mo.gov/movesmart.