Marist opened its doors in September 1954, with Brother Leo Sylvius serving as the school's first principal. In 1962, the present campus was acquired to accommodate the school's growth after negotiations led by Brother Leo to acquire land owned by the City of Bayonne, and on April 23, 1964, ground was broken for a new building which would tie together existing buildings on the campus. A modern structure was constructed with 24 classrooms, lecture rooms and laboratories for physics, chemistry, biology and earth science, an art studio, a computer center, and a weight room. A library with a complete audio-visual department, a guidance complex with a career resource center, together with a large gymnasium-auditorium complex and cafeteria were also included as part of the new school building. In 1977, additional land was acquired for expanding the school's athletic facilities. In 1995, an athletic field was built in back of the school. In 1986, Marist began admitting women and became a co-educational high school. Students from throughout Hudson and Essex counties and the surrounding metropolitan area attend the school. Marist was established primarily for Catholic students. In 2008 the school's enrollment began decreasing in a manner described by Caitlin Mota of the Jersey Journal as "steadily", and by 2017 9th grade student enrollment was down about 50% from the beginning of the decrease. In March 2017 the school stated that it could potentially close if $1.5 million was not raised in donations to keep the school open. The deadline for the task was April 24. In April the Marist Brothers stated that it would be open for the 2017-2018 school year. This was despite the fact only $750,000 had been raised by the deadline. In December the organization would continue to keep it open by any means possible; the organization decided back in April that it had been unable to keep funding the school. The school announced in January 2020 that it would close at the end of the 2019-20 school year due to deficits that had risen to $1 million and enrollment that had declined by 50% since 2008.
Athletics
The Marist High School Royal Knights / Lady Knights compete in the Hudson County Interscholastic League, which includes private and parochial high schools in Hudson County, operating operates under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. The football team won the NJSIAA Non-Public Group III state sectional championship in 1994, led by coach Gene Pagnozzi. The football team won three consecutive county championships from 1991–93 and went to four straight sectional championships from 1993-96. The girls' basketball team won the Non-Public Group B state championship, defeating Sacred Heart High School in the tournament final. The boys' basketball team won the Non-Public Group B title in 1992 vs. Bishop Eustace Preparatory School. In boys' basketball Mike Leonardo, had a 209-46 record; 20 players under Leonardo received a Division I scholarships. During his 19 seasons, girls basketball coach Bill Defazio won four sectional titles, the most recent coming in 2008 when the Royal Knights defeated Gill St. Bernard's School in the Non-Public, North B final.
Champagnat Scholars Program
Marist High School is known for their Champagnat Scholars Program. This program is for very gifted and academically inclined students. Students can obtain college credits by taking Advanced Placement classes offered at Marist. Currently, there are about 30 students in CSP.
