Meet the Team
It takes a village to help students thrive, and our team is the heart of that village. Each member of EVA brings their own gifts, passions, and perspectives to support students in becoming confident, capable, and creative learners.
Anna Thompson
Meet the Director
My name is Anna Thompson, and I’m the Founder and Lead Educator of Exceptional Village Academy. I started EVA with a heart for students who learn in unique ways and deserve to be understood, supported, and encouraged. With both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in special education, I’ve spent my career helping students discover their strengths, grow in confidence, and know they have a place where they truly belong.
The Journey That Shaped EVA
Before I ever knew I was building a school, I was just trying to reach one child. My first year of teaching, right out of college, I was a resource teacher with only five students. One of them had just turned five years old and was learning to speak. He was so bright and curious, but he couldn’t read yet. Every day, I sat beside him and used a reading program that I had to reshape and adapt to fit what he needed.
We worked together like that for three years, something called looping, where a teacher stays with the same group of students year after year. Over time, I saw how much progress he was making, and when it came time for his reevaluation, I asked his parent to request a full one instead of the usual waiver. Because of the work we had done together, he tested out of special education and moved into general education in third grade. He’s 37 now, and we still keep in touch. He often tells me how easy school felt after those three years and how that time changed everything for him.
That experience planted something in me that I didn’t recognize right away. It showed me what happens when you meet a student where they are, teach them in the way they need, and never give up on their potential. Those early lessons became the foundation of what I do today and the heart of what Exceptional Village Academy would one day become.
Everything about EVA reflects what I believe in, grace, patience, compassion, and the belief that every child has something special within them. I’ve poured more than thirty years into special education and curriculum design, serving students in Georgia and beyond. Through those years, I’ve had the honor of working with learners from every background, gifted students, those with ADHD or specific learning disabilities, students managing anxiety or trauma, and others who simply needed someone to believe in them. My greatest joy is helping them see their value, discover their strengths, and realize they were created with purpose.