Ridgefield students, staff celebrate Valentine’s Day with drive-thru event

RIDGEFIELD — Union Ridge Elementary School staff tried to keep Valentine’s Day fun this year despite remote learning by holding a drive-thru event. Fourth-grade leadership students created a video to spread the news about the drive-thru. Parents and families drove through the parking lot in front of the school while teachers and counselors handed out goodie bags through car windows. When they arrived, there was loud party music while two teachers dressed up in dinosaur and shark costumes. The drive-thru was lined with heart-shaped signs reading things such as, “You are loved!” The entire sidewalk, from start to finish, was filled with teachers, staff and leadership students cheering, dancing, waving handmade signs and holding balloons. “It was a joyous event that was especially welcome at a time when children have been spending most of their time at home,” a news release said. “By safely bringing students and teachers together, the school was able to retain some of the magic that comes with a classroom Valentine’s Day.”