Along with the daffodils, there are many election posters along our roads in anticipation of next week’s town meeting and election. From the signs, it seems like a very tight race for the one-year seat on the select board.

Sessions of MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System), the standardized test that all the teachers and children love, starts today. Kids are reminded to eat an extra-healthy breakfast so they can power through extended bouts of English language arts, science/technology and engineering, and math. MCAS goes on throughout April and deep into May, so brace yourselves.

The West Tisbury School is collecting clean used children’s clothing this week. No diapers or shoes, please. Socks and jammies must be new. The clothes will go to other Massachusetts kids.

Third grader Levi Kochin is launching a duck egg business in order to raise money for his dream bike. He raises an amazing flock of free-range Swedish blue and Saxony ducks. Interest in his fledgling business is high; clearly the Island has many proponents of both duck eggs and bike-riding kids. Good luck, Levi.

The three up-Island fire departments held a structure-fire drill on Sunday in Chilmark. It continues to impress me that in the busy springtime on Martha’s Vineyard there are men and women willing to spend their time getting ready to handle our disasters. It’s quite remarkable, and not something we should take for granted. Do you ever think to yourself, what would happen if these people stopped showing up?

The West Tisbury School student council is hosting a dance on Friday, April 8 to benefit the children of Ukraine. Junior high attendees are asked to contribute individually-wrapped snacks for the refreshments table.

Happy birthday to Abbey Entner, who celebrated first in the North End and later on in Nashville.

And also, happy birthday this week to my sainted mother, Julie Hitchings.