The school system will no longer offer courses in Latin, credited with boosting English language mastery and SAT scores, unless the district finds a full-time Latin teacher to hire, school officials said.

“We did look for a Latin teacher, but we were unsuccessful,” school Superintendent Margaret Frieswyk told the School Committee Monday.

Latin teacher Brendan Jones resigned in June to pursue graduate studies. Avon hired him back as a part-timer to teach second year Latin courses, Frieswyk said.

She said the Middle High School would continue to offer Spanish and French classes, but no first year Latin courses unless the district finds a full-time teacher, preferably someone certified to teach Latin and Spanish.

Students continue to be very interested in Spanish classes, and French holds its own as an academic language, she said.

If Avon discontinues Latin, Frieswyk said the school district would consider adding another foreign language, possibly German or Chinese Mandarin, but not Russian.

Students studying Chinese Mandarin in the Whitman-Hanson and Hingham school districts seem to be having a very difficult time learning the language, she said.

Avon would also consider adding Portuguese or Cape Verdean or Haitian Creole, she said.

“We'll continue to look for a Latin teacher,” Frieswyk said. “Latin is a course I wanted to preserve and I have worked to do that.”