The school calendar has a huge influence on the level of hubbub on Chappaquiddick and the Vineyard. During school vacations, even though every family with school-age children doesn’t actually leave the Island, it gets so quiet that it seems that they have. The week of Feb. 28 through March 4 is midwinter break and April 18 through April 22 is spring vacation. I expect a lot more folks will be gone this year than the past two.

At the moment, according to my calculations, school gets out on Friday, June 24. It would have ended on Wednesday, June 22 if not for a storm day at the end of October and a snow day at the beginning of January. I hope that’s it for make-up days. I’m sure that many businesses on the Island are depending on those students to fill out their workforce.

This year, July 4 falls on a Monday. That, historically, has made for a four-day weekend for many revelers. I’m guessing that this year there will be a parade and fireworks in Edgartown. I freely admit that I have appreciated the break from the headaches caused by that holiday. The good news is that the fireworks come at low tide this year. More often than not, when folks have set up their beach chairs and laid out their blankets to watch the show, the rising tide has driven them up into the beach grass and rosehips. It’s one way to reduce the tick population. A carry-out program of sorts.

Memorial Day is just about as late as it can be this year. Given that it signals the beginning of the summer season, that’s not good news. Labor Day is pretty much on its average date. Years ago, that was when the ice cream and candy shops across the Island dependably put everything on sale. Not so in these days of the extended shoulder seasons. However, there is usually a hurricane twirling up in the Atlantic around that time, compelling lots of summer people to head back to America sooner than planned.