Photo by Michael J. GallegosTribune

Tribune

Linda Sink (center), the interim superintendent at Albuquerque Public Schools, reminisces about the past with (from left) educational assistant Judy Estrada and retired teacher Eloisa Corona. Standing at their feet is Estrada's granddaughter, Brianna Estrada, 4, while behind them state Rep. Rick Miera chats with Beth Everitt, whose last day as superintendent is Dec. 21.

Photo by Michael J. GallegosTribune

Tribune

Manzano High School Principal Tim Whalen (left) and College Board representative Paul Sanders talk with Albuquerque Public Schools interim Superintendent Linda Sink over lunch.

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Working lunch with Linda Sink started with a friendly "What do you guys want?" but quickly turned to what she wants for students in Albuquerque Public Schools.

In 90 minutes over Mexicali soup at a Northeast Heights restaurant, Sink pushed academic rigor for her alma mater, Manzano High School, and for the district she will soon lead as interim superintendent.

Sink, the district's associate superintendent for instruction, wants more students to tackle the most rigorous classes - Advanced Placement courses = and more teachers trained to deliver them.

"We have a new goal now: pushing hard to get kids into these classes," the former Albuquerque High principal told her lunch guests.

"We grew those numbers at Albuquerque High School," she said. "That's something I get to hang my hat on."

Just six months ago, Sink was elevated from principal to associate superintendent. Next week she becomes the interim boss as Superintendent Beth Everitt leaves for another job, putting Sink under the spotlight like no other candidate seeking the permanent post.

What Linda Sink wants is clear: more academic rigor and more students in the challenging courses that will give them a taste of college and, in many cases, translate to college credits.

Sink expressed concern that Manzano students with proven academic potential aren't enrolling in Advanced Placement classes. A study of Manzano's efforts to recruit them and expand enrollment will begin soon.

"I want my alma mater to look good," the 1971 graduate said.

Sink's lunch guests at Le Peep Restaurant were Manzano Principal Tim Whalen, Associate Superintendent Eddie Soto and College Board AP representative Paul Sanders.

After Sink settles into her new post, she will promote AP with the rest of the district's principals at a Jan. 25 forum.

Officially, Sink takes over as interim superintendent Dec. 22, the day after Everitt leaves for a new job in South Carolina.

The Albuquerque Board of Education voted 6-1 to elevate Sink from associate superintendent for instruction after a closed-door interview. She got the promotion and a 12 percent raise, to $130,000 per year, that will last until the board names a new superintendent in March.

Because the next superintendent may not be able to assume the post until after June 30, Sink said she's been told by the board to expect the interim appointment to last six months.

She wants it to last much longer.

Sink is a candidate for the permanent job, the only APS associate superintendent intending to apply. She also appears to have an edge, based on the board's vote of confidence over other insider candidates, including Diego Gallegos, assistant superintendent; Tom Ryan, executive director of technology, and, maybe even Whalen.

The only board member to vote against Sink, Mary Lee Martin, explained her vote was a cautionary one because she didn't want the public to think the board had already chosen its next superintendent. Other board members agreed they didn't want to leave that impression either.

As interim superintendent, Sink will be under the microscope over the next three to six months and her leadership skills tested, especially if a controversial issue comes up to blindside her.

"I think she's taking a gamble that could hurt her chances at the superintendency," board member Robert Lucero said of the interim post.

But Sink is approaching the job as an opportunity.

One of her goals is to hire a chief business officer, a vacant position since August. If she is successful, the board will no doubt be impressed.

Sink also has a promise from Everitt that the transition won't be rough at all.

"I'll be a phone call or e-mail away," Everitt said. "It's going to be smooth."

Everitt has given Sink a glowing recommendation, which won't hurt her chances.

"She's a hard worker and she's here each day as long as I'm here," Everitt said. "She has a very strong work ethic and she's very grounded in curriculum. She still thinks like a principal but she's quickly getting the big picture."

Sink is truly a home-grown candidate with three degrees from the University of New Mexico and three decades of work in the district, starting as a biology teacher at Albuquerque High.

Before she was promoted in July to the associate superintendent post, she was Albuquerque High principal for six years and cluster leader principal for three years.

She also served as principal at Cibola High and assistant principal at Eldorado High.

She is married to Steve Sink, director of crime prevention at the Albuquerque Police Department, and has two children, Josh, 17, a Cibola senior; and Sarissa, 9, a fourth-grader at Petroglyph Elementary School. The Sinks adopted Sarissa from Russia when she was 9 months old.

Balancing family and work has been like "walking a tightrope," Sink said. "My family helps me do my job. I couldn't do it without them."

She's tapping her husband's expertise in crime prevention to help the district with safety issues.

"We're going to work together on personal safety for staff and the safety of our buildings," she said.

Family time is usually spent outdoors. "I've backpacked in the Grand Canyon 10 times at least," she said. "I love camping and hiking with my family."

Sink worked for three years outside the Albuquerque district as a science teacher for mostly Navajo students in the Four Corners area. She had planned to spend only a year, but extended her stay because it was a life-changing experience, she said.

Those three years taught her "how important equal opportunity is in education," she said. "It was really vivid there. If you can create the opportunity for students, they soar."

Some went on to Harvard, the University of Arizona and other colleges, Sink said.

The idea of creating opportunity is behind Sink's push for more students in Advanced Placement classes. The classes are open to all students, but the district needs to prepare students for the rigor, she said.

AP is one of Sink's claims to fame as an educator. As Albuquerque High principal, her school was the first in the nation to offer foreign language Advanced Placement courses, and her college-bound students scored the highest in the city on the SAT college entrance exam.

Academic rigor isn't a new philosophy for Sink. As a principal at Cibola and Albuquerque High, she was either praised or panned for her academic bent.

"There were students who didn't like her because she's so strict on academics," said Judy Estrada, an Albuquerque High educational assistant.

"And, I'm sure there were teachers who didn't like the way she did things, either."

Sink had a reputation of wanting the best from her students and teachers, Estrada said.

"She was tough on us all. She expected more from us, but I didn't have a problem at all with that."

Estrada said she's known Sink for 23 years and wasn't surprised to hear her colleague was named interim superintendent.

"The first thing that came to my mind was: here's our new superintendent. She knows us; she knows our culture; she know our kids; she knows Albuquerque," Estrada said. "I am so proud of her."