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Trends in school education in the country determine the necessity of opening the school and more active interaction with the parent community and local institutions. The idea of "school - community center" is no longer new and a number of schools in Bulgaria apply this approach without following clear and exact methodology and certain systematic approach. I will not cpmment its benefits and the involvement of the parent community, as there are many materials on the subject. [1]

The new APSE and draft regulations for the creation, structure and activities of public councils at kindergartens and schools, developed according to the requirements of Art. 270 of the Act, have the ambition to open the school and to regulate the active interaction between the school community - parents - local institutions / public, in order to achieve a quality education for every child through the creation of Public Councils. Or as defined by the Act, the purpose of the Public Council is the formation of "active and democratic functioning communities to each kindergarten and each school" and create a "body to support the development of kindergarten and school and civic management to control them. "[2]

The initial reaction of teachers on the idea of public councils was rather abrupt and rejective. On the one hand this was due to its inadequate performance (or rather the lack of it) of the idea from lawmakers first, then the Ministry of Education. Public Councils were presented rather as an external controlling structure that will deal with the demand of guilt (or at least this was the impression that was created). On the other hand, already harassed Bulgarian teacher at some point feel more pressured by all those "external" people "will enter his/her space, and begin to tell him/her how to do his/her job" - a normal reaction that everyone, regardless of profession, but placed in a similar situation would feel if he/she was not familiar with what is going to happen. At the same time, this reaction is very indicative that when there is no actual involving consultation process (or participants are convinced of the lack of it), they perceive any reform (no matter how good it is) as imposed from "outside" and against them. Often the parental community perceives similarly the school. As a result of these attitudes appear questions from some teachers and principals such as:

• How parents without education will discuss the school budget?
• How parents will approve the curriculum and textbooks, if they do not know teaching methods, regulations, standards, etc?
• How Public Council will take such important decisions, and the responsibility will be borne by the principal himself/herself?
• Public councils have too many powers and no responsibilities.

In fact, public councils have a great responsibility - to help with joint efforts to make the school a place where our children are motivated to learn, to dream and to develop themselves. This latter can only happen if the three main actors, concerning the educational process - students, parents, teachers, supported by the general public, cease to perceive the other as antagonists, but rather as allies. And then when we collect different viewpoints together to discuss problems and find solutions together, we can make school so wanted "desired territory" (which bureaucracy also managed to empty of content). The Public Council has the potential to provide precisely this space that we need to sit down together at a table.

Since 2010, as part of the program to reduce the dropout of Roma children from school "Every student will be a winner", implemented by Amalipe, most of the schools formed Parent clubs which functions are very similar to the Public Councils. The concept of parent clubs, although not as strictly regulated, is to form a core of parents. They deal with numerous and varied activities planned and implemented together with teachers from school, as leadership remains of the parents themselves:

• contribute ideas and opinions on the choice of extracurricular activities and other activities in which the school could include;
• assist the teaching staff and the principal in resolving cases of early marriage, prevention of school failure;
• discuss problems facing the school and how parents could help to overcome them
• discuss the results of the external evaluation and more;
• discuss current needs of the school and how they can be addressed; of students and how they can be addressed; of pedagogical staff (related to the educational process) and how they can be addressed;
• discuss current opportunities in the month from which the school can benefit and how - funding opportunities; inclusion initiatives;
• discuss the schedule of upcoming monthly activities, which can include a wider range of parents and other community representatives;
• organize discussions for events, already took place - their organization; what could be improved;
• represent the school as an institution and policies that it held to a wider range of parents, including assistance during organized initiatives to involve more parents, who would learn about school life. Enhance mutual understanding of teacher and parent community;
• conducted a survey on impressions and satisfaction of parents of facilities, learning process, relationships and life at school and then discuss the results with the principal and teaching staff and plan measures to overcome those problems (if any)
• organize community events;
• organize training seminars for other parents.

Creating an active parent club does not always happen easily (somewhere takes more than a year). The first step do not need many parents. Initially, the schools start with 2-3 active parents. Gradually they carried away the rest and give the teachers the support that they need - to reach the parent community and gradually together to begin to overcome the stereotypes and prejudices that both communities have to one another.

The experience of functioning parent clubs shows that parents respond positively when they are given adequate opportunities to participate in school life, when they are voted responsibility and accepted as a partner. This means that you need to think of new ways to reach those parents who are more disadvantaged and traditionally not included. Parents react very responsibly and adequately even on topics that are tabu for them, especially if less educated - topics such as delegated budget, allocation formula and financial difficulties faced by the school manager. Therefore, the first challenge facing school leadership is to "educate" their parents. At the same time, parents know best their children, their needs and what would make their stay at school more interesting and useful (after the children, of course). Experience is huge and can hardly be shared in a few lines. It shows that if given the right approach, parent clubs can become untapped opportunity.

The same could happen with the Public Councils. Returning to the issues mentioned above, we see that they are valid not only for the new structure proposed by APSE. The same questions could be asked to one of the local authorities as well - City Council, which, however, examines and resolve issues of much higher level, having regard not only to the whole community, but also to municipal policy, municipal budget, mayor's decisions etc ..

It is true that each freedom is always frightening, but exactly this freedom gives the opportunities that we can use or not.

Amalipe suggestions can be seen here.

[1] Emilia Slavova, Why participation of parents is important, http://www.index-priobshtavane.eu/?p=1422

Boyan Zahariev, Ilko Yordanov, Study of parent participation in school life in Bulgaria. Sofia, 2010

[2] APSE, into force from August 1, 2016, art. 265