[9] In 1898, construction of the first wing was completed and Academy of the Sacred Heart of Menlo Park[nb 1] opened its doors to 23 girls and young women.

[15] Materials were being gathered for the construction of a second building when the 1906 San Francisco earthquake struck, causing considerable damage.

Sister Emily Healy recounted that "by six the (attic) floor gave way under the fallen chimney, (and) the arcade with its massive columns had been wrenched out of place and thrown against the children's refectory and the assembly room, breaking windows in its fall.

"[6] Sacred Heart students took refuge at St. Joseph's and within two months a $90,000 reconstruction and renovation project was underway, adding a third story, a new chapel, new classrooms and dormitories, parlors, a large porte-cochère, and a bell tower.

[18] The period after World War II saw steady growth in Sacred Heart's physical plant, much of it on behalf of the lower and middle school grades.

[22][23] In 1989, the Loma Prieta earthquake caused cosmetic damage to the main building and prompted the school to move its remaining functions elsewhere on campus.

[25] A 1997 capital campaign[14] fueled construction over the next ten years: renovation of the 'West Wing' of the main building to hold a library on two of its floors in 2000;[26] a performing arts center, including a 350-seat theatre in 2004; an Olympic-size swimming pool;[nb 4] and the Homer Science Center in 2008, including a 700-seat auditorium.

[33] Supplementing the college preparatory core are some notable electives, including a sustainable agriculture course where students cultivate vegetables and butcher a goat.

Students and their families have the option to participate in Catholic or non-Catholic rites, traditions, and practices, including Eucharistic liturgies, confirmation, meditations, and Wednesday morning prayers in the chapel.

[73] The Valpo Bowl is an annual football game between Sacred Heart and the neighboring Menlo School that raises money for a local educational charity.

[26] The Valpo Bowl name stems from both schools having a main entrance on Valparaiso Avenue, although the contest itself is usually held at a neutral venue.

Observed feast days are Mater Admirabilis (October 20); St. Madeleine Sophie Barat (May 25); and St. Rose Philippine Duchesne (November 28).

[83] Many are French, given the origins of the Society, including Congé (an on-campus day where classes have been unexpectedly cancelled); Goûter (an occasional snack distributed by RSCJ); and, Coeur de Jésus, Sauvez le Monde (the school song).

[84] Sacred Heart sits on a rectangular, 63-acre (25 ha) campus that stretches along Valparaiso Avenue, about one mile northwest of Stanford University.

At the time of its construction, the design was described as "in the Italian Romanesque style, the foundations of concrete, the superstructure of red stock brick, with stone and terra-cotta trimmings and a slate roof.

"[86] Combined with the adjoining, 350-seat Performing Arts Center, it forms an open courtyard that partially encloses a labyrinth and grotto.

[87] It is named after Bill Campbell, a Silicon Valley business executive, college football coach, and Sacred Heart benefactor.

In 2010, it became the first school building in Silicon Valley to achieve a Platinum LEED rating and received a Top 10 Green Project award by the American Institute of Architects' Committee on the Environment (AIA/COTE).

The animal farm raises goats, rabbits, ducks, and chickens for the production of cheese, eggs, meat and milk,[42][95] while 10,000 sq ft (900 m2) of organic gardens provide vegetables and herbs to Sacred Heart cafeterias, local charities, and an on-campus farmer's market.