I have had a very quiet preschooler in my pre-K class for a year and a half. She will be starting kindergarten in the fall. She will only whisper some things in my ear but never talks out loud. She also will not play with the other kids unless I am playing right next to her. How do I get her to talk and interact more with the other students? I have also talked to her mom and she says that she talks at home but not when someone new comes to the house. Any ideas would be very helpful.

Update: This same little girl has not spoken a single word (not even whispers to me) or smiled for over a month now. I talked to her mom about this and she said that she talks at home but hasn't smiled at home for a while also. This weekend I found out that this little girl has a high risk registered sex offender living in the same house. (it is her uncle, for sexually assaulting a child almost 3 years) I am now very worried that maybe something has happened that is causing her to completely shut down. This is a BIG accusation and I don't want to make assumptions... but I also don't want to just ignore this either. I talked to our town cop (we live in a very small town) and he said he would check it out. Isn't this a violation? He is a registered sex offender, living in the same house with a young child.

If you have already spoken to the Police (small town or not) and nothing has been done, report it to CPS. Let them determine what is and what is not appropriate.

What level sex offender is he - if you know? Your source probably does.

I saw it online at the SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION site
This is all that it says under his photo...
Sex Crime Conviction(s)
Crime: Sexual Assault of a Child F3A
Statute Number(s): 28-320.01
Court: District
Conviction Date: 05-15-2006
Victim of Crime: Minor

You are in Nebraska - ?

I still believe you need to report this to CPS. Someone needs to protect this child.

When something comes to your attention in your profession are you duty-bound to report it?

Yes I'm in Nebraska. As soon as I found this out I called our town cop and told him about her behavior and that I just found out that this man is residing in her home. He told me that he knew about the sex offenders' whereabouts, but that he didn't think that he stays at the house very often. But he assured me that he will check on things.
I think a sex offender shouldn't be allowed to be anywhere near children, let alone be allowed to live in the same house with a child.
I thought reporting it to our cop would get help for her. I am going to talk to him tonight. If I feel like things aren't getting done I am calling CPS tomorrow after school.

Good for you! Let us know how this works out.

... Crime: Sexual Assault of a Child F3A
Statute Number(s): 28-320.01
...


28-320.01. Sexual assault of a child; second or third degree; penalties. Nebraska Legislature (http://www.legislature.ne.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=28-320.01)