By Cindy Kranz
The Cincinnati Enquirer

For the first time in more than 15 years, a Cincinnati Public School has to make up a school day because it used all of its allotted calamity days.

The School for Creative and Performing Arts in Pendleton will be in session on a Saturday, May 10, because school was canceled for six days this year. The state allows five.

At the beginning of the school year, three days were used for mold removal. Snow cancelled three other days.

May 10 won't be just another school day. SCPA is hosting a daylong arts celebration called, Artz-A-Poppin', which will be open to the public. All 1,000 students will perform, exhibit art or work in technical areas for productions.

"We're treating it as an artistic open house," Principal Jeff Brokamp said. "We're using the school day to allow the students to do their final spring performances that are typically done throughout the course of a couple of weeks. ... It's hard to have school on a Saturday if there isn't something special happening, in terms of students being here and focused."

It's also an opportunity to bring together artistic and academic teachers, who don't often get the opportunity to communicate or mingle during the school day. Artistic teachers will direct the groups, with support from academic teachers.

The event, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.at 1310 Sycamore St., will feature band and orchestra concerts, choral concerts, visual art displays, a pops concert, piano recital, dancers, creative writing, set building, "Shakespeare in a Tent," and jazz and alumni performances.

Admission is $5; children under 18 free.

E-mail ckranz@enquirer.com