To help students stay organized and clutter free, I have a place on a table in the back of the room where all the corrected papers get piled. Every Friday, I assign two students to sort the papers by name and they put them into folders that are also kept in the back of the room. On these folders I have columns. There is a column for the date, teacher comments, a behavior grade for the week, and parent signature. Once the folders have been stuffed, I quickly write my comments and the kids bring everything home. The folder comes back empty every Monday with a parent signature and response to my comment when appropriate. * This system is great not just for avoiding cluttered desks, but it is a quick and easy way to communicate with each parent on a weekly basis. If I have a note to send home to a parent, I put it in this folder and write in the comment space, "See note inside". If there is a low test grade in the folder, to ensure that the student doesn't "ditch it" on the way home, I write in the comment space, "60 on math test". The parents LOVE this system too! * There are envelopes specifically designed for this system that you can purchase through most large school supply companies. The envelopes are called "HOME/SCHOOL ENVELOPES".