As a Groton taxpayer, a grandparent and a teacher in a magnet school in New London, I am struck by Groton Superintendent Michael Graner's remarks as reported by the Day on Nov. 11, regarding Groton students attending magnet schools in other districts.

He told the Board of Education that he would look into what is "drawing families to go elsewhere." He made mention of "family logistics and programming."

I hope he looks into programming. He might also look into marketing. The magnet schools are doing a good job of both. Headline: They have the new mindset. There is a choice! We need parents to want our school.

For the average parent to send their child to school outside their community, the reasons must be significant. It takes effort to learn about the choices; investigate the ones that are suitable to their family; go through the application process; wait for the lottery; then make the decision of which to attend.

There is also the emotional challenge of changing schools and leaving friends. Superintendent Graner is wise to ask the reasons parents would choose to leave Groton schools. He could talk to our daughter.

Our grandson is in 5th grade in Groton. He is having a good year because of his teacher. She has said all the right things to my daughter who is very prone to worry and wants her children to stay highly engaged with their education.

The principal, however, may have the old mind set: "We're good enough."

My grandson is a typical 5th grader with friends, plays in the band, plays sports, etc., yet is ready to go to school out of town. As a family, they have applied for the Regional Multicultural Magnet School in New London a few times unsuccessfully.

Adding to the competition, scholarships to private schools now allow more families to make that choice. As with magnet schools, improved marketing includes tours, sitting in on classes, meeting and talking with teachers and continues with information about the ways that their programs are innovative, interesting and exciting.

There are at least five choices, between public and private options, for Groton middle school students who consider going elsewhere.

Now is the season for parents to begin searching for the next school. Most deadlines for applications are in January. A month or two later the lottery happens.

When I watch my daughter start this process, I see no information about the public school that her son would attend if he did not go out of town. She has nothing to compare to, nothing for her son to consider. In assessing their choice to stay in the Groton system, parents and students must depend on hearsay, rumor, myth and stories or what they can glean from newspapers or through inference.

Groton public schools must tell parents what its schools have to offer. Being a strong magnet can keep more children attached to their neighborhood schools.

Which leads to another advantage of magnet schools - providing the incentive for in-district schools to improve.