Like many parents of young children, John Flanagan came to Westford for the schools.

Compared with some Boston suburbs known for their academics, Westford was, and still is, a bargain, he finds. The school system is also what has kept Flanagan, his wife, Beth, and their three daughters in this town — home to such attractions as Kimball Farm, Nashoba Valley Ski Area, and The Butterfly Place — since 2000.

Today, Flanagan, 51, lives and works in this community of roughly 22,000 along the Interstate 495 high-tech corridor south of Lowell. Flanagan, senior director of corporate citizenship for software maker Red Hat Inc. in Westford, says his activities are still dictated by his children, ages 13, 16, and 19. He often finds himself at Westford Academy, the town’s public high school, where one daughter participates in theater productions, and he has helped raise money for turf fields and spent hours on the sidelines coaching soccer. “I always wanted to be coaching . . . You’re giving back to the community,’’ Flanagan says.

Now that he is no longer coaching, Flanagan is giving back in other ways, including as president of the Westford Rotary Club. “It’s important for me to have the community connection in town, and the Rotary is a great way to network and give back,’’ he says.

Flanagan says Westford has a nice mix of shopping and restaurants along Route 110 but historic homes and friendly neighborhoods in other parts of town.

“They’ve done a good job of isolating the commercial growth and leaving the rest of the town to have that country feel,’’ he adds. “You can still come down 110 and have plenty of restaurants and shopping, but take a turn and you have a historic district. It’s got a great look and feel.

“It makes it a great place to come home to.’’

Jennifer Fenn Lefferts can be reached at jflefferts@yahoo.com.