The roster of Catholic high schools in North Jersey will shrink by one when Marist High School in Bayonne closes its doors in June.

The school's president, Peter Kane, said in a letter Tuesday that the coed school on Kennedy Boulevard, in operation since 1954, confronted various challenges that made it too difficult to remain open.

"Today, the School continues to suffer from structural, operating deficits of approximately $1 million annually and our modest reserves have been eroded. Enrollment is currently at an all-time low of 235 students," Kane said in the letter. "Marist’s projected revenue is simply insufficient to pay teacher and staff wages and benefits, utilities, maintenance and other essential expenses after June 2020."

Marist's closing comes about three years after the school managed to stay open on the strength of a fundraising campaign that raised over $750,000 in less than two months.

Its illustrious alumni include novelist George R.R. Martin of "Game of Thrones" fame, former state Sen. Joseph Doria, and former major league pitcher Joe Borowski.

The high school's closing follows a trail of other Catholic school closures in North Jersey in recent years, including St. Anthony High School in Jersey City and Queen of Peace High School in North Arlington in 2017, and St. Pius in Montville and St. Andrew in Clifton, both elementary schools, in 2018.

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When Marist shuts down, it will leave Hudson County with only four Catholic high schools: Hudson Catholic, St. Dominic Academy, St. Peter's Prep and Kenmare High School, an alternative high school for girls, all located in Jersey City.

Kane said in an interview that the school, run by the Marist Brothers religious order, is now in "active negotiations with a current counterparty" to purchase the entire 9-acre campus with the expectation that a school will still operate there.

"While it's a small solace for us because we're sad that Marist is closing and that we're going to have to vacate the premises, it would be wonderful to have it continue to serve as a school to have young people educated here as opposed to having it torn down for condos and townhouses," Kane said.

Ricardo Kaulessar is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: kaulessar@northjersey.com Twitter: @ricardokaul