Constructed at a cost of $1.3 million (equivalent to $ million in ), the school opened on September 10, 1962, with a dedication ceremony conducted on November 5 of that year. The school opened with 630 students in grades 7-12, replacing the former
Atlantic Highlands High School. The district's first superintendent was Henry Schiable, who served in the position until 1969. In 2023 the voters of
Atlantic Highlands School District and
Highlands School District approved a proposal to consolidate into Henry Hudson, which would make it a PreK–12 school district. In 2024, a meeting between the three school district's boards of trustees stated that
Sea Bright would have to re-establish its non-operating school district to join Henry Hudson, though there is no provision in New Jersey law to permit this. Students from Sea Bright attend the
Oceanport School District for grades K-8 and
Shore Regional High School for grades 9-12; both districts filed legal challenges opposing Sea Bright's efforts to end their sending relationship and join the consolidated K-12 Henry Hudson District. The
New Jersey Department of Education classifies the district in
District Factor Group "DE", the fifth-highest of eight groupings. District Factor Groups organize districts statewide to allow comparison by socioeconomic characteristics. From lowest
socioeconomic status to highest, the categories are A, B, CD, DE, FG, GH, I and J. ==Awards, recognition and rankings==