CROFTON, Neb.— Crofton Community Schools will soon see major security upgrades after voters passed the long-awaited school bond.

Talks of these improvements have been ongoing since 2018, with multiple failed attempts to pass a bond in recent years. But the community finally came to a decision.

“We landed on this number was where we wanted to be and what we could get with that number and the committee felt comfortable with that,” Superintendent of Crofton Community Schools Mark Wragge said.

The bond is for $5.9 Million which is about half the size of the last proposed bond, and less than a third of the $18.9 Million bond in 2022

The improvements will mostly be done to the elementary school with minimal work done to the high school. The biggest improvement for the school’s is the new security measures being put in place.

“Right now somebody could be let in at the front door, and they can do right into the mainstream population we have  here because there’s no foyer forcing them into the office to start.” Crofton Community High School Principal Johnnie Ostermeyer said, “So our goal is just to make that one more layer of security, so nobody can just sneak into the building.” 

Improvements to the safety makes up a large portion of the bond, according to the school. The bond also will be adding new classrooms, restrooms, and a designated cafeteria for the elementary, making sure kids are not eating in the gym.

The elementary classes are growing but the size of the rooms stay the same which leads to cramped spaces and less than ideal learning experiences.

“Well I was elementary principal for 13 years, so I spent 13 years in that building.” Wragge said, “And there’s a lot of times it’s really tight, you know, with our classrooms. We’ve had some big classes.”

Past school bonds have proposed many improvements to the high school, such as athletic facilities and locker rooms. Right now, the Junior High and High Schoolers are sharing locker rooms and the wrestling team has to travel to Bloomfield to practice.

Though with the bond being significantly reduced, things needed to be put to the side.

“We went to the drawing board, you know, we have to group together.” Ostermeyer said, “ We said, okay what are the non-negotitables that we have to have and what were the things we can give and take to get this thing to a point where we can get something passed. Because we need something for our elementary.”

The schools hope to start renovations as early as Spring of 2026 and lasting a couple years.

The bond passed with a 573 to 292 vote, with more than half of eligible voters in Knox and Cedar counties casting ballots. Official confirmation of the totals is expected Wednesday.