NORTH ARLINGTON -- In a shocking statement made Monday, Queen of Peace High School will cease operations as of June 30, 2017, according to a press release sent out by the Archdiocese of Newark.

The news sent shockwaves throughout the school, with the unexpected fate coming one year after the Group 1 school raised over $1 million in fundraising efforts to remain open for the 2016-17 school year.

"Despite a valiant effort by faculty, staff and stakeholders to raise funds and set a goal to provide enrollment growth possibilities for the 2016-17 school year, projected enrollment and financial shortfalls for the 2017-18 and future school years continue to present growing challenges to the long-term viability of Queen of Peace High School," the press release said.

Fundraising efforts yielded more than $1 million last year and, coupled with an expected enrollment of 226, Queen of Peace staved off closure at the end of the 2016 school year. However, Queen of Peace now is expected to suffer the same fate as St. Anthony, which is scheduled to close its doors at the end of this school year due to similar reasons.

Another small N.J. catholic school, Marist High School in Bayonne, needed significant fundraising efforts last month -- $1.5 million in four weeks -- but announced it would remain open for the 2017-18 school year, despite falling just short of the estimated goal.

The financial hardship that Queen of Peace faces is a "shortfall of more than $1.2 million by the end of June 2017," according to the press release.

"This amount can be met only partially through external fundraising efforts this year," the press release continued. "The parish and the Archdiocese are not in a financial position to absorb further obligations of the school beyond this current year. In actuality, Queen of Peace High School will require contributions of more than $1.5 million annual for the foreseeable future -- a figure that is twice what alumni leadership feels it can raise annually."

RELATED: Queen of Peace hits fundraising goal, will remain open for 2016-17 school year

The news came as a surprise and disappointment to many within the school.

"I am shocked, I am disappointed and this is very disheartening to me," Queen of Peace principal John Tonero said.

Newly hired football coach Greg Russo said he believed as recently as two weeks ago that the school was heading in the right direction financially. The former Paramus Catholic offensive coordinator had worked tirelessly since being hired in January to bolster Queen of Peace's football roster to approximately 40 kids after having to forfeit its final two games due to low roster numbers.

"It's a huge surprise to all of us," Russo said. "There no was indication that anything like this was coming, so it's coming as a bit of a shock. The biggest thing for me right now is the kids. A lot of them are going to have to find new places and figure out what they're doing. It's them that I'm worried about. And there's a lot of teachers who have been here a long time. For them, this is heartbreaking. It's just a sad situation."

Rev. Michael Donovan, pastor of Queen of Peace and head of the school, said that many within the school "have weathered challenges to find a way to keep this parish high school operating during this current year." He continued to add, however, that "we remain in a declining situation that cannot be continued without severely harming Queen of Peace Parish."

School administration and the Archdiocese Schools Office will now work with parents of Queen of Peace students to assist with the transition to other Catholic schools within the Archdiocese. Current faculty members will be placed on a preferred eligibility list for positions at other schools.

"We truly appreciate all of the generosity of the alumni and other supporters of Queen of Peace," Donovan said in the press release. "But given that the school was facing a number of years of continuing deficits and challenges to gaining enrollment, we could not expect that alumni would provide the same robust support year."

Queen of Peace girls basketball captured last year's North, Non-Public B sectional title, led by McDonald's All-American selection Raven Farley-Clark. The wrestling program, under coach Scot Weaver, has become one of the top teams in Bergen County and reached last year's Non-Public B sectional final. Queen of Peace sent seven wrestlers to Atlantic City in March.

"I'm just thinking about the teachers and the kids," Russo said. "My heart goes out to them."

JJ Conrad may be reached at jconrad@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @jj_conrad. Like NJ.com High School Sports on Facebook.