Cardinal Newman High School was founded on April 24, 1964, and named for Cardinal John Henry Newman. It was the brother school of a girls' secondary school located on the same road named Ursuline High School. The campuses shared a common eating area. The schools' academic programs were also intertwined, with most classes for juniors and seniors and some freshman and sophomore language classes taught co-educationally.

The two schools also collaborated on school-sponsored social events such as the drama program. The schools had separate associated student bodies that collaborated in the discharge of their duties. Athletics, with the exceptions of cross country, track & field, swimming, and water polo, were not collaborations. The schools had separate offices, libraries, computer labs, classrooms, and gymnasiums, but in addition to the cafeteria they shared a multipurpose facility and some athletics facilities. Class rankings for Newman and Ursuline were separate, but the students graduated together, with at least one valedictorian and salutatorian from each school addressing their graduation class.

Ursuline announced on November 9, 2010, that it would close at the end of the academic year. Cardinal Newman became coeducational at the start of the 2011–2012 academic year.^[3]

In October 2017, much of the campus was destroyed in the Tubbs Fire.^[3] Classes resumed in church buildings in four separate parishes; donations to the school included videoconferencing equipment from Cisco Systems, but poor wireless internet prevented their use. Classes are scheduled to resume on campus in January 2018, housed in portable buildings.^[4]

Cardinal Newman's curriculum includes mathematics, starting at pre-algebra to Advanced Placement calculus; sciences, consisting of biology, chemistry and physics; English; social studies, including government, economics, and history; Spanish language; and theology. Freshmen are required to complete physical education, basic computer literacy, health, public speaking and drawing. Advanced placement classes are offered in most subject areas. Electives include psychology, the school newspaper, weight training, music classes, and advanced art classes. Students take seven courses each school year.

According to the Acton Institute's Catholic High School Honor Roll, Cardinal Newman was one of the top 50 Catholic high schools in the nation for 2005.^[5]

In 2005, San Francisco 49ers Hall of Famer Joe Montana became a part-time quarterback coach for the team.^[6]

Keith Dorney, a nine-year offensive lineman with the Detroit Lions assisted the team from 2003 to 2006.

In the 2005-2006 season, CN football won both NBL and Section 3A champs.

In 2019, the team recorded a 14-1 record and won the AAA-level state championship in California.

The school also has baseball and basketball teams.^[7]

• Jason Alexander, former professional baseball player, Milwaukee Brewers
• Scott Alexander, former professional baseball player, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Francisco Giants
• Robert C. O'Brien, former National Security Advisor
• Jerry Robinson, former professional football player, Los Angeles Raiders and Philadelphia Eagles, and College Football Hall of Fame inductee
• Stephen Tomasin, professional rugby player, United States Rugby Union
• John Wetteland, former professional baseball player, Los Angeles Dodgers, Montreal Expos, New York Yankees, and Texas Rangers, and World Series Most Valuable Player in 1996 World Series^[8]
• Scooby Wright, professional football player, Birmingham Stallions of the United States Football League

• Official website