BROOKFIELD - The passage of the Elmbrook School District’s $62.2 million referendum to renovate its high schools was met with screams of excitement and sighs of relief by supporters.

"I’m so proud of the community, absolutely proud of the community," said Matt Gibson, Elmbrook’s superintendent. "It’s a major project, something we worked on for over six years."

Unofficial results show the referendum received 7,557 yes votes, 52.2 percent, and 6,923 no votes, or 47.8 percent.

Last April, voters rejected a $108.8 million referendum to renovate Elmbrook’s Brookfield Central and Brookfield East high schools. After months of discussions, meetings and the formation of a steering committee, the school board unanimously approved in January to bring the question to voters a second time. The new plan focuses more on renovation and remodeling and less on new construction, although both schools would see some new construction.

The referendum passed in Elm Grove and Brookfield, but failed in the town of Brookfield and New Berlin. Both of the latter municipalities had less than 250 votes each.