The administration, staff and students of Mabel-Canton schools, along with the communities of Mabel and Canton, are excited to welcome Ben Mohs, the school’s new social worker.
Ben, his wife Alysha, and their 5-year-old son Eli, who just started kindergarten, reside in Rushford. Alysha has been a third-grade teacher for 16 years, while Ben brings a wealth of experience in social work. He earned a BA in Social Work from Winona State University and began his career in education by serving as a behavior interventionist for the Dover-Eyota School District for two years. Following that, he spent eight years as the PreK-3 school social worker at the Plainview-Elgin-Millville School District. Ben joined the Mabel-Canton (M-C) team at the end of the 2023-2024 school year.
At the March 19, 2024, Mabel-Canton School Board meeting, the board approved hiring Ben as the school’s social worker due to additional state dollars received by the school. He started at Mabel-Canton on April 2. PreK-12 Principal Michelle Weidemann shared in March that Ben is very excited about getting to the M-C area, and has every intent to finish out his career at M-C.
In his role as Mabel-Canton’s social worker, Ben will support students of all grade levels. He explained, “I think each district is a bit different in what their school social worker does based on the needs of the district.”
Ben’s responsibilities include:
- Conducting one-on-one or small group interventions with elementary students to address specific behaviors or concerns.
- Teaching social skills lessons in elementary classrooms.
- Meeting individually with junior high and high school students for various needs.
- Supporting special education students based on IEP-identified needs.
- Attending meetings and assisting administration with educational neglect or truancy issues.
- Helping families connect with community resources.
- Assisting teachers and staff with student concerns that arise throughout the school year.
In his free time, Ben enjoys spending quality time with his family, as well as fishing, hunting, and sports.
Ben’s teaching philosophy is centered on building strong, positive relationships with students. From there, he wants to help students recognize their strengths and encourage them to improve upon their weaknesses.
Looking ahead, Ben’s long-term goals as an educator include fostering positive relationships with students and families at Mabel-Canton and is considering pursuing a master’s degree in guidance counseling.
Welcome to Mabel-Canton, Ben!