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It was a short climb up the career ladder for Linda Sink, a former principal who has been named interim superintendent for Albuquerque Public Schools.

At this time last year, Sink was running Albuquerque High School. Now, she's poised to take charge of the largest school district in New Mexico and the 27th largest in the nation.

The Albuquerque Board of Education on Wednesday unanimously tapped Sink, one of three associate superintendents, to be interim superintendent and awarded her a 12 percent salary hike, to $130,000, making her the highest paid administrator behind Superintendent Beth Everitt.

The board also released Everitt from her $193,000 annual contract so she could move quickly to her new job as superintendent of the Aiken County Public Schools in South Carolina.

Everitt's contract was to expire June 30. After the Aiken school board voted on Tuesday to hire her, Everitt said her first day on her new job will be Jan. 2.

Everitt's last workday in Albuquerque will be Dec. 21 at which time Sink will take the reins.

Sink's current title is associate superintendent for instruction. She oversees all of the instructional departments in the district.

Sink has announced her intentions to apply for the $260,000 Albuquerque superintendent's post, which the board wants to fill by March, said Monica Armenta, district spokeswoman.

After the board vote Wednesday, member Gordon Rowe said he was pleased the board took "swift and prompt action" on the interim appointment.

"Linda Sink is a great leader," he said. "She comes highly recommended by other principals and the existing administration."

He noted Sink has districtwide experience as a principal. She worked at Cibola High on the West Side before taking the Albuquerque High job.

In July, Everitt selected Sink, Raquel Reedy and Eddie Soto to replace retiring Associate Superintendents Nelinda Venegas and Susie Peck.

Reedy, Soto and Deputy Superintendent Tom Savage were also considered for the interim post, Rowe said.