History

The School

In 2001, Sacred Heart Elementary School, which served students in San Francisco’s Western Addition for over 100 years, was faced with closure. Fr. Charles Gagan S.J., pastor of St. Ignatius parish, asked a group of business and community leaders to step in and support the school. Sacred Heart remained open, and then, in 2003, merged with another Western Addition Catholic school, St. Dominic to form Sacred Heart-Saint Dominic. Grades K-5 were located at the St. Dominic campus and grades 6-8 at the Sacred Heart site. Dominican sisters, who for generations taught in both schools, continued their tradition of excellence at this newly formed school.

Throughout this transition period, attorney and businessman, Fred Furth provided major funding for the school. He made a long-term financial commitment to the school in memory of his daughter Megan Furth, who died unexpectedly in 2003. In October 2005, Sacred Heart-Saint Dominic was officially dedicated and became the Megan Furth Academy.

In 2006, Mr. Furth purchased the site of the Sacred Heart campus at Fillmore Street from the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Construction of the new Megan Furth Academy will begin on this site in 2007.