mcps has been talking about overcrowding for years. if you take the enrollment alone they could fill the elementary school behind me four times over. day one of classes. maryville elementary school in rockville is lucky to be under capacity. >> adequate space and safety for every student. kevin: mcps new superintendent jack smith says overcrowding is one of his top three priorities. the problem is this marks the eighth consecutive year of growth for mcps with 2,500 extra students this year alone. the total enrollment is 159,000. two other middle schools and an elementary school also opened today following expansion projects. signed the wheaton high school, more sign of progress. brighter classrooms and extra stairwell. cafeteria that can be comfortably fit 1700 students. >> it's increased the school pride. knowing you are the best of what the county has to offer. you don't want to say i'm the newest school in mcps and i didn't use the resources i had. >> well, the young man they heard from is a senior at wheaton high school with hopes

kevin: mcps isn't reinventing the wheel here. school systems in atlanta, austin, salt lake city areas have similar programs in place. i'm kevin lewis, abc7 news. leon: we want to thank everyone for the back-to-school pictures you have been sending us. we have gotten photos of hundreds of smiling students. folks, we not done yet. keep pictures coming. go to burst.com/wjla. then go to the back to school bubble there to upload your picture. you may see it on the air or on the wjla.com page. maureen: a helicopter from joint base andrews had to make unscheduled landing this morning at gwynn park middle school in brandywine. right on the ball field. skytrack 7 over the scene after the helicopter landed without issues. we are told warning forced the pilot to set down at the school. 12:30, maintenance crews cleared the helicopter. it went back to joint base andrews. probably lots of happy children. leon: i bet they love that. maureen: special visit. new rules go into effect today for the drone users. commercial drones may not fly above 4

diap did file an appeal with mcps. the administrators are currently reviewing that and have not made a final decision. today we posted a poll on twitter asking if the 1.5-mile rule is fair. we heard from 111 people. 62% said no. it's not acceptable. live in silver spring, i'm kevin lewis, abc7 news. michelle: thank you. we should point out that montgomery county public schools do not offer bus services to middle schoolers that live within 1.5 miles of school grounds. that is the policy the child safety flag question in hopes that there will be an exception made. of course students are returning to school across the area. we are get something many pictures highlighting back-to-school moments. we are enjoying them. keep them coming. go to burst.com/wjla. click on the back to school bubble to share your pictures. leon? leon: all right, michelle. prince george's county public school kicked off the school year yesterday. but some of the substitutes didn't go to class. p.g.p.s. says this morning 5300 students have not be imm

we talk to a man by the name of diap, a father of three students in the mcps system. he says the walk to eastern middle school from his apartment complex takes 20 minutes to pleat. when you factor in rain, bitter cold or oppressive muggy temperatures and up shoveled sidewalks, he contend the trek becomes dangerous, too. in june his 14-year-old son was hit by a car while walking home from university boulevard east. the driver took off. his son thankfully surprised with bruises and minor back pain. mcps cop tends it -- contends it's inape -- incapable busing all students to and fro class. hence, the 1.5-mile rule. diap filed an appeal with the administrators but it's pending. >> they need to leave the neighborhood at 5:00 in morning. for what? to pay the respect. -- pay the rent. they know they will have an outstanding education. but walking to school in some condition, they are not going to. kevin: we created a twitter poll asking if it's fair for kids to walk to three miles round trip to and from class. so far 100 people responded. 39% are calling this policy fair. wh