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Ernest Ward Middle’s Perry Retires, Boulanger Named New Principal

Nancy Gindl-Perry recently retired as principal at Ernest Ward Middle School, and Tyvanna Boulanger has been promoted from assistant principal to principal.

Located in Walnut Hill, Ernest Ward is the northernmost middle school in Escambia County, serving around 500 students from Barrineau Park and Molino north through Walnut Hill and Century to the Alabama line. The school’s roots can be traced to a one-room log schoolhouse constructed somewhere around 1886. A 1940s era building was replaced with the current school building in 2015.

We recently sat down with Perry and Boulanger to talk about the past and future of EWMS, and its importance in North Escambia.

“I asked my husband for 23 years for a career,” Perry said. “He’s been my rock and beside me for 23 years, and now it’s time for us.”

Perry said she was totally at ease with Boulanger transitioning into the principal position because she is already vested in the community and loves the children.

Except one little thing..she needs to learn to put her hair in a ponytail. That’s an inside joke that pretty much every EWMS student during the Perry era will appreciate.

The ponytail goes back to Perry’s early teaching days and came to symbolize that she was in a serious, go-getter mood.

“Even when I was teaching, the kids would say her hair is in a ponytail, you better not do anything wrong. It just followed me. So when I wanted the kids to really behave, I’d just put my hair in a ponytail. They don’t cross you; even teachers stay out of your way. There was really zero truth to it, but I thought, let’s just buy into it.”

Education has been Perry’s life, and she admits the transition to retirement will be a bit different.

“It’s the first time since I was 16 that I didn’t have a job. I’m going to do some new things. I’m not going to do an alarm clock, which is going to feel great. I’m not going to answer to anybody,” Perry said. Husband Foy is building her a she-shed. She is now into arranging flowers and has taken a couple of floral classes and wants to take a photography class.

“That’s kind of where I am. My whole life has been about education.” And her “babies”.

One of Perry’s favorite memories include their first football team. And that improved in the second year when they actually won a game.

And the new school building.

“That was bittersweet because you were tearing down the historical,” she said.

“We’ve had great teachers. We’ve been lucky with teachers that have invested themselves in Ernest Ward. Their heart and soul,” Perry said. “We still have some, but some of it you are losing. This younger generation, it’s different. The work ethic is different, and I’m not saying that in a bad way. It’s computerized now. Education is so much on a computer now, and I feel like we are losing so much of the fundamentals.”

Boulanger said she has felt welcome at EWMS from day one.

“This community is so welcoming. Hospitality has kind of died off in town; it’s no longer a thing. But out here – being hospitable, being kind, making people feel welcome. It’s still a thing here. Those are good characteristics for a person to have.”

But then there were the “peeeee-nuts”, she said. Imagine the biggest, longest, twangiest southernest drawl you can. “Peeee-nuts.”

“Peanut season. I didn’t know that was a thing. So I’m walking to the buses, and it smells terrible. I put my shirt over my face, and I’m like what’s that smell? Does anybody smell this? And the kids are like that’s ‘peeee-nuts’,” she said. “And I’m like pine nuts, oh y’all grow pine nuts out here? I love pine nuts on my salad. But they were like ‘peeeee-nuts’. ‘Peeee-nuts’ in a shell, and I was like, oh peanuts! We farm peanuts out here. Yes we do.”

Perry says Boulanger has even picked up on some of that southern drawl.

“People used to tell me that I have a very southern accent, and was like I do? Then I came out here,” Boulanger said. “Then I was like you ain’t seen nothing yet. It’s a wonderful place.”

“Mrs Perry has a beautiful program that is rooted in tradition. At Ernest Ward, we have a leg up because I was an assistant principal here, and I moved up. I already know how Mrs. Perry has managed and ran this school for so long. Many of the things we have in place will continue.”

“There are just so many things that are Ernest Ward traditions,” Boulanger said with a pause, trying not to become emotional. “Mrs. Perry has done a great job, and the school has been the pillar of the community for a long time. We want that to continue.”

But there will be subtle changes in line with keeping EWMS a pillar of a modernizing community.

“There are things that we need to modernize to keep the momentum going with the fantastic stuff that’s already in place. I’d love to try to get young people in the community teaching here. When I first came here, we had qite a few teachers that lived in the community, quite a few more than we have now because they have retired, they’ve moved. I think if there’s any secondary school in the district that can cultivate a positive climate and culture, and cultivate and develop a faculty that’s truly all-in as a team, a school family, it’s Ernest Ward.”

Looking back at her long career, Perry does have one big regret.

“Probably my biggest regret is my mom and dad didn’t get to see the new school,” Perry said, her voice trailing off as tears formed. Then silence.

“I know they did in spirit. Before my mom died, I asked her three or four times, will you come? She was coming to see it, but she passed away before she did.”

“It’ll be great. I’m sad about Mrs. Perry leaving, but I’m looking forward to what’s next,” Boulanger said.

Perry stopped her.

“You’ve got this. It’s Ernest Ward. It’s going to be great.”

Pictured top: Retired Ernest Ward Middle principal Nancy Gindl-Perry (left  and new EWMS Principal Tyvanna Boulanger. Pictured below: In 2009. Perry was named Escambia County’s Principal of the Year, and she received the school’s first-ever “Golden Cow Dung Award” from the school’s FFA. Pictured bottom inset: Ribbon cutting for the current Ernest Ward Middle School in October 2015. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.