'Abbott Elementary,' more shows with grade A teachers

School is officially back in session with the return of the Emmy-winning sitcom "Abbott Elementary" for its sixth season Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. on ABC.

The show, with a cast that includes Uniondale High School alum Sheryl Lee Ralph, is just the latest in a long history of TV series featuring teachers who were just too cool for school.

'Our Miss Brooks' (1952-56)

THE PREMISE Eve Arden starred as sharp-witted English teacher Connie Brooks in this popular sitcom which began life in 1948 as a radio program. Though the high schoolers (including 20-something Richard Crenna as geeky Walter Denton) adored her, she was far more interested in winning the heart of hunky — and clueless — biology teacher Philip Boynton (Robert Rockwell).

THE COOL FACTOR Miss Brooks was a revolutionary character for '50s TV: a single woman who struggled to make ends meet. The show often made reference to teachers being underpaid.

FUN FACT Arden got high marks for her portrayal from educators and even received numerous offers for teaching jobs.

'Room 222' (1969-74)

THE PREMISE The faculty at Walt Whitman High School, including history teacher Pete Dixon (Lloyd Haynes) and his girlfriend, guidance counselor Liz McIntyre (Denise Nicholas), took a deep interest in solving their students' problems, both in the classroom and at home.

THE COOL FACTOR "Room 222" tackled a number of then taboo subjects for prime time, including drug use (by students and teachers), teen sex, politics, civil rights and more. The show was also notable for depicting both teachers and students of different ethnicities.

FUN FACT A number of soon-to-be-famous celebs appeared on "Room 222" including Rob Reiner, Mark Hamill, Kurt Russell and Richard Dreyfuss, who had the offbeat role of a slacker who wins an open competition to become the school's valedictorian.

'The White Shadow' (1978-81)

THE PREMISE A white former pro basketball player (Manhasset-raised Ken Howard) is hired as a coach in a predominantly Black inner-city high school.

THE COOL FACTOR The drama series was groundbreaking for featuring a predominantly Black cast and for portraying students as average urban teens rather than thugs. Howard's character often served as a father figure helping students navigate through issues from gang violence to racism.

FUN FACT Howard, who stood 6-foot-6, was nicknamed "The White Shadow" when he played basketball at Manhasset High School.

'Head of the Class' (1986-91)

THE PREMISE Howard Hesseman went from playing cool DJ Dr. Johnny Fever on "WKRP in Cincinnati" to cool teacher Charlie Moore, who's in charge of a class for exceptional students.

THE COOL FACTOR Unlike most school-set shows, this one dealt with overachievers, who are apparently just as messed up as underachievers. Moore's rapport with his students as he helped them grapple with peer pressure, political issues and grades formed the heart of the show. Hesseman left in 1990 and was replaced by Scottish comic Billy Connolly, who failed to make the grade, leading to the sitcom's lower ratings and cancellation.

FUN FACT Brian Robbins, Dan Frischman and Dan Schneider, who were classmates on the show, went on to produce several Nickelodeon programs together including "Kenan & Kel."

'Boston Public' (2000-06)

THE PREMISE Unlike most shows set at a high school, this Fox drama was more heavily focused on the problems of faculty members rather than students.

THE COOL FACTOR Having teachers at its center led to episodes about burnout, financial worries and trying to balance professional and family matters. It was also created by David E. Kelley ("Picket Fences"), who was known bringing quirky plot lines to his shows, and "Boston Public" was no exception: Season 4 featured a story arc about a student who believes he is Jesus Christ.

FUN FACT Chi McBride, who played Principal Steven Harper, reprised his role in a 2005 episode of Kelley's drama series "Boston Legal." Unusual for a crossover was that it was on rival network ABC.