On August 8, 1905, eight Sisters from the Dominican Motherhouse at Sinsinawa, Wisconsin were assigned to 1621 Park Road Northwest to begin the Sacred Heart Academy. The school was to include students from primary grades through high school. Since that inception, the school has celebrated a history of excellence and growth surviving wars, depressions, changing always to accommodate the students and their families.

Sacred Heart originally was owned by the Dominican Sisters. In 1929 Sacred Heart Parish purchased the property and built the existing school (1625 Park Road Northwest), completing the project in 1930. The new Sacred Heart School opened its doors in 1931 in the Columbia Heights and Mt. Pleasant neighborhoods.

Although Sacred Heart has always had a tradition of serving an immigrant population, it was not until the late 1990's and early 2000's when the Columbia Heights area saw a large influx of families from El Salvador that the bilingual Spanish program was created. This program helped facilitate the transition of immigrants to the United States in a loving and supportive environment.  The school is a member of the educational system of the Archdiocese of Washington D.C. and the Consortium of Catholic Academies, and is staffed by qualified and devoted lay teachers.