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"Every morning she asked, ‘Are we going today?'" Maleson, 41, of Frederick, said. She chuckles when she tells the story of the school doors opening, and Samantha running in, leaving her mom behind outside.

Maleson did not mind. She had done a great deal of homework to ensure her daughters felt excited when they started school.

"You're setting the tone. I wanted them to feel excited and comfortable about it," Maleson said. "This is a huge transition, especially if a child has not been in daycare."

Frederick County Public Schools offer preschool programs run through the teaching labs for high school child development courses. High school students create and teach the lessons for the programs, which run from 10-12 weeks in the fall and spring. Each participating high school has its own application process for children, with many on a first-come-first-serve basis with waiting lists.

In addition, the county has a pre-kindergarten program at local elementary schools. It first accepts children that receive free and reduced meals, followed by children learning English as a second language and children with disabilities or who are at-risk.

Shari Ostrow Scher, supervisor of early childhood education and community and family involvement for the schools, says that "generally, there are no slots" available to the general public once this process is complete. She adds that although the state of Maryland wants universal pre-kindergarten for all children, the implementation of this is being slowed due to a lack of funding and won't be in place for quite some time.

This means most parents are on their own to find and pay for any year-long schooling for their child before kindergarten.

Cost was a factor for the Malesons when they were picking a preschool, as well as location. They did not want to travel far in case of an emergency. Maleson also looked at class size and time schedules and added that she and her husband wanted "a more open liberal approach." But first and foremost, the Malesons wanted their daughters to be challenged intellectually.

"We wanted a stimulating environment both academically and socially," Maleson said.

Carrie Maybush, primary school director of the Banner School in Frederick and mother of a 4-year-old, says parents should think about the type of curriculum they would like for their child when picking a school.

"The first thing that is always good for parents to become familiar with are the different approaches that a preschool may use," she said, citing Montessori and faith-based as examples. She then said parents should call schools and set up visits to see for themselves if their child seems interested in the environment and to observe how the adults and children interact.

Susan Richter, director of Weekday Nursery School in Walkersville, agrees. Parents should "definitely observe a class," she said, noting the teacher-to-child and child-to-child interaction.

"The whole thing is challenging because you are making a decision about what you're seeing at that moment," Richter said. "But if you hear it happily humming along, children's happy voices and laughter, you've found the right place."

But where to begin visiting can be a daunting task for parents, since there is no one source that lists all the preschool options in Frederick County.

Maleson started her search by looking online and using "Frederick's Child" magazine, which she says prints a "comprehensive list" of schools in the area. She then talked to other parents to learn of their experiences.

But Mary Ann Beane, a committee member of the Frederick-North chapter of MOMS (Moms Offering Moms Support) Club, says the search can still involve a lot of phone calls and a great deal of running around. To streamline the process, her club began organizing a preschool fair and printing a directory of local schools that provides information on cost, enrollment, and safety procedures. Now in its seventh year, the fair hosts more than 30 preschools each year, and will take place from 6-8 p.m. Nov. 11 at the Elks Lodge in Frederick.

"The idea originally was to make it easier on moms and dads," Beane said, who has overseen the running of the fair in past years. The fair provides the opportunity for parents to talk to representatives from different schools under one roof, allowing them to narrow their list before heading out for visits.

Maleson says that even with a lot of research, finding the right preschool for one's family can be a long process.

"Start early, I cannot emphasize this enough," she said. Beane, Richter, and Maybush all agree.

Beane says parents need to be mindful of January deadlines for the following academic year because slots, especially morning times, fill up quickly.

And Richter says, "Applying [for preschools] in Frederick County has gotten earlier and earlier. It's almost like college applications. You should be thinking about it in the fall."

Richter says parents should ask schools what the application deadline is, how fast the program fills up, and exactly how the registration process works — whether parents need to line up to drop off registration forms or if they can mail them in.

She also suggests parents ask schools about the staff's teaching credentials and experience, class size, and if the school offers any extra programs, like lunch bunches or foreign language classes.

Maybush says some other things that are important to ask about is the turnover rate of staff, the discipline policy, the safety procedures, and if a school is accredited.

Another bit of Maleson's advice is to match a school to your child's personality.

"You really need to know your child and find a school that matches," she said. "Even if you love a program but it does not fit your child's personality, it won't work."

Finally, when a parent has made their final decision, Maleson says to "hype it up" by driving by the school and talking about what it will be like to go to there because this will "maximize the successful transition between home and school."

Richter agrees.

"It's their introduction to school. You want it to be an excellent first time."

The Preschool Fair

Organized by the MOMS Club of Frederick North

When: 6-8 p.m. Nov. 11

Where: Elks Lodge, 289 Willowdale Drive, Frederick

For information: Beth Chiang, 301-503-0852, bethachiang@comcast.net

Additional resources

Frederick's Child magazine's December 2009/January 2010 issue, to be released on Nov. 23, will have a list of preschools with a short write up provided by the schools. In addition, the magazine's Aug. 2009 issue highlighted advertisements of more than 20 preschools in its "Back to School/Back to Work" section. To access this issue, go to the magazine's Web site, hit ‘Click to View Magazine' and then click on ‘Archives.'

www.frederickschild.net

Montessori Connections is a Web site for the Montessori community that provides a database of Montessori schools, inclusive of ones in Frederick County.

www.montessoriconnections.com

Frederick County Public Schools offer preschool programs run through the teaching labs for high school Child Development courses as well as pre-kindergarten programs in the elementary schools. Priority is given to those eligible for free and reduced lunch for pre-K. For information about enrollment, ask at your area high school or elementary school. www.fcps.schoolwires.com

Maryland State Department of Education has information about Maryland's charter schools. www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/programs/charter_schools