More Than Resources: A Morning with CIS Site Coordinator Sydney Lieberman

More Than Resources: A Morning with CIS Site Coordinator Sydney Lieberman
If you asked a Communities In Schools Site Coordinator what a typical day looks like, you probably would not get a simple answer. I learned that within the first few minutes of spending a morning with Sydney Lieberman, CIS of Wayne County’s Site Coordinator at Hagerstown Elementary School.

A student stopped by Sydney’s office for a snack and a quick hello. A staff member came in to update her about another student. Then the phone rang. A student was having a rough morning and needed to come down to Sydney’s office for a little while. And just like that, Sydney’s morning continued in the way it often does: responding to whatever her students needed in the moment.

This is Sydney’s second year with Communities In Schools of Wayne County, but Hagerstown has always been home. She grew up in the community and is now raising her own family here. She is married, has two daughters, and is expecting her third child in December. When I asked Sydney what she is most proud of in her work, her answer came back to that connection to home.

“I am most proud of being able to serve my hometown community. The Hagerstown community is so special to me, and being able to give back to it means a lot. We all have each other’s back, and I know everyone is willing to help one another.” That connection was easy to see throughout the morning.

When the student who was struggling arrived in Sydney’s office, there was no rush to immediately send them back to class. Sydney sat with the student and gently talked about what might be causing the rough morning. Then the focus shifted to a word search, practicing writing numbers, and eating a snack. Sydney seemed to understand something important in that moment. The student did not need a lecture or a complicated solution. They simply needed a little time, patience, and a safe place to regroup.

Sydney’s office is designed for exactly that. It feels calm and welcoming, with posters and activities focused on helping students recognize emotions, regulate their feelings, and work through difficult moments. It is a place where students can stop in for a snack, talk through a problem, play a game, or simply spend a few minutes with an adult they trust.

After the student had some time to reset, the three of us took a walk around the school. Sydney used the walk as another opportunity to connect. They read posters together and talked about expectations for walking through the hallway before Sydney returned the student to class. It was a small part of the school day, but it was also a good example of what Site Coordination often looks like. Sometimes success is not a dramatic intervention. Sometimes it is helping a student have a better next 30 minutes.

A Role Built Around Relationships
One misconception Sydney said people sometimes have about Site Coordinators is that their job is simply to connect families with resources. Resources are certainly part of the work, but they are only one piece of it. “We actually do much more, especially with students,” Sydney explained. “Our goals could be to increase a student’s attendance rate or grades. We are there for students facing traumatic events or someone they can depend on to sit with at lunch. Our goal is to foster confident students to reach high school graduation, in any way we can help.” I saw several pieces of that work during just a few hours with her.

At lunchtime, we checked in with students and asked what they were learning in class. We helped open stubborn lunch packages and spent time with a small lunch group. The conversation moved naturally between what students were learning in science class and something much bigger happening outside the school walls: the recent flooding that affected Hagerstown and surrounding families.

Again, there was nothing flashy about it. It was simply relationship-building. Sydney knew the students. They knew her. They were comfortable talking to her. That trust is what makes the rest of the work possible. Sydney shared a story about one of the first students CIS was able to help with a pair of shoes. “They were so proud and grateful. For the rest of the school year, that student wore the shoes every day, and we were able to gift them with the next size the following year.” But what Sydney remembers most was not really about the shoes. A pair of shoes met an immediate need. The relationship that followed could make a difference for years.

When a Community Needs More
Every day as a Site Coordinator looks different, but that has been especially true in Hagerstown following the recent flooding. Throughout our walk around the school, several staff members stopped Sydney to talk about flood relief supplies or provide updates about families. Hagerstown Elementary has dedicated classroom space to donated food, clothing, hygiene items, and other necessities for families affected by the flooding.

Sydney has worked closely with Hagerstown Superintendent Emily Schaeffer to help connect families with whatever they may need. At the same time, the everyday needs of students have not stopped. Sydney still coordinates Friday food bags for families who need additional food over the weekend. Students still need snacks. Teachers still stop by with concerns. A student may still have a difficult morning and need a quiet place to reset.

It would be easy for all of those needs to feel overwhelming. Instead, Sydney said the experience has reminded her how strong the Hagerstown community really is. “After the recent flooding, we proved that we can get through anything as long as we have each other.” She has also seen both sides of community support through her role. “What has surprised me the most about being a Site Coordinator is how many people in our community need resources AND how willing everyone is to provide those resources, no questions asked. As a Site Coordinator, it is a privilege to be able to connect the two.”

That may be one of the best descriptions of Site Coordination I have heard. A Site Coordinator often stands somewhere in the middle. On one side is a student who needs shoes, a family recovering from a flood, a child who needs food for the weekend, or a student who simply needs someone to sit beside them at lunch. On the other side is a school staff member who noticed something was wrong, a community member willing to donate, a business offering supplies, or an organization ready to help. The Site Coordinator helps bring those pieces together.

But after spending the morning with Sydney, I realized the job is about even more than making those connections. It is about knowing the student well enough to recognize when they need a break. It is remembering to ask what they are learning in science. It is walking the hallway with a child who needs a few extra minutes before returning to class. It is making sure food goes home for the weekend. It is helping a family find basic necessities after a flood. And sometimes, it is giving a student a pair of shoes and becoming someone they know they can come back to when they need help again.

There may not be a “typical” day for a CIS Site Coordinator. But after spending a morning with Sydney, I think there is something that remains consistent through all of them: being there. For the student. For the family. For the school. And, in Sydney’s case, for the hometown community she has always called home.