The Florence Griffith-Joyner Elementary School will open in the fall of 2006 in City Heights as part of a redevelopment project that Miles Durfee helped bring to San Diego. Construction will go hand in hand with the development of new housing and commercial properties nearby.

Durfee, 37, manager of administrative and legislative services for the San Diego Unified School District, assisted in the campaign to pass the legislation that established a joint powers authority to oversee the redevelopment program.

Sometimes when new schools are built, housing has to be sacrificed. But under this unusual program, City Heights will end up with more housing than was taken away. “The joint powers authority is currently looking very carefully at the viability and funding available for the park space, retail and housing that will be part of the project,” says Durfee.

Durfee, who has been with the school district for five years, most of them in his current position, is responsible for lobbying for the district in Washington, D.C., Sacramento and San Diego, and for managing district policies and procedures.

Under his direction, the district put in place a system allowing parents to access documents online, including archived material, rather than having to travel to district offices.

Living with his wife, Libby, and 13-month-old daughter, Trinity, in Pacific Beach, Durfee says he enjoys the constant challenges of his job. “I get to work on the bigger picture of the school district — its policy and funding issues.”

Outside of work, Durfee is president of the Art Pratt Memorial Fund-Kearny Mesa Rotary Foundation. He manages a $2.5 million fund that has funneled dollars to a number of local institutions and programs, including the San Diego Boys and Girls Club. He also is a member and past president of Old Mission Rotary.

— Manny Cruz