What to do with kids' schoolwork...

Kids' schoolwork.  It can over take your house if you let it. But there are always a few things that are 'keepers'.   And a lot of things that are not keepers.  How do you decide?  Here's what I do:

What I keep: 

• Certificates (honor roll, straight A's, star student, science fair participation, etc)
• Art projects - not necessarily every single drawing but any different media (watercolors, chalk, etc) & ceramics.
• Things that are handwritten - again, not everything but poems, short stories, etc.
• Small projects that involve writing & coloring.  I love being able to see the progress from year to year.
• Test results involving reading levels. Again, I like to see the change from year to year.
• Report cards.

What I toss:

• Fill in the bubble type tests.  We have TONS of those in our school so we get to toss a lot.
• Multiple choice worksheets/tests.
• Flyers from teacher, PTA, etc.
• Lunch menus (this seems obvious but I thought I'd mention it).
• Anything really big that won't fit into the folder (see below for info on that).  I might take a picture of these things.

At the beginning of the year I get a two pocket folder (I would suggest one folder per child).  As work comes home it goes into the folder.  At the end of the grading period I go through what's in the folder and keep the keepers and toss the rest.  If there are ever any questions of grades being recorded properly you will have access to those papers until the end of each grading period.  

I label the front of the folder with the grade and year and at the end of the year it goes into a drawer I have for LM's school and art work.  If I want or need to find something for a specific grade it will be in the folder.

I would think that as the kids get older there will be less in the folder but during those first few years of school there is so much and plenty to keep.  

How do you manage your kids' school work?