Grace Wang is running for the Frisco ISD board of trustees Place 5 seat in May.[/caption]Debbie Gillespie, who is running again for another term, currently holds Place 5. Gillespie has held the position since 2011.
Wang said she decided to run for the school board because she wants to be an advocate for maintaining the quality education and the small-schools model in FISD.
“I would love to see Frisco ISD [continue to be] as robust as it is now,” Wang said. “I love the small- schools model where our students have more chances to shine on the athletic fields, in band and other extracurricular activities. I would love to see that continue to be the case.”
However, Wang said she also wanted to run because she is concerned as a parent that FISD has at least a $30 million fund shortfall for the 2017-18 school year, and she wants to help find a creative solution.
“My background is in accounting, finance and computer systems, so that gives me a special edge on the understanding of financial data for school districts,” Wang said. “I understand budgets, financial statements and how to interpret them.”
Wang obtained her bachelor's degree in accounting at the University of Texas in Dallas as well as a master's degree in information technology and management. Wang has worked in the telecom industry as a network cost analyst, and she has worked as a certified public accountant. Now she is a senior business analyst, which she said has helped her gain insight into large quantities of data, and she has knowledge of software licenses that helps her clients save network costs and optimize network efficiency.
“As a senior business analyst, I’ve served as the lead for large projects; therefore, I need to communicate really well and persuade people by having a strong argument for my analysis,” she said. “I can bring strong communication and leadership skills.”
Wang said there are three issues she would like to focus on if she is elected to the school board. The first of those is communication.
“I believe as we grow as a community and as a school district, we’ll have a lot of people that are coming from different countries or moving in from other parts of the country, and there’s a communication gap,” Wang said. “There may be a language barrier or cultural barrier, and I truly cherish the idea of community inclusion.”
Wang said it is also important to educate newcomers on the FISD school system, philosophy, history and strategy.
The second issue Wang said she would like to focus on is fiscal responsibility.
“I believe we should spend what we have and not overspend," she said. “We need to monitor our budgets and make sure we don’t have frivolous spending. We need to make sure that our spending priorities are on the teachers and students.”
The third issue Wang would prioritize is to advocate for no tax increases. Wang said she believes the current tax rate is at a level she believes should sustain the district. Wang said tax increases should be the last resort.
“Every year we’ve seen our property values increase and more people move to our district, and I believe we have plenty of money to manage our budgets without asking taxpayers to contribute more,” she said.
Wang said her Christian faith has motivated her to be a servant leader for her community. She said to be a leader at FISD is to be an advocate for the good things about the district.
“It’s important to keep Frisco competitive and keep [FISD] one of the most desirable school districts in North Texas,” she said.
Wang is married and has two children—one who is a young professional and another who is enrolled in FISD. Wang is also a PTA member and a band booster volunteer.
To learn more about Grace Wang, visit her campaign page.
