@Center, did you get the recommendation for your child in time? So sorry, I am reading this thread late.
In answer to your original post, when my child applied, she had asked her math teacher for a rec (she was in 10th grade at the time). The teacher apparently forgot and was on vacation the week the recs were due. We knew the former chairman of the math department, and he kindly called her in Hawaii and she submitted it while she was on holiday–the very last day. Phew.
I did find that some of her teachers and coaches were incredulous (not resentful). We live in a very good school district; a district to which very well educated parents deliberately move for the public school system. The teachers just don’t have a context for expecting a request for recommendation from a younger high schooler for boarding school. I can not think of one other child in the district that is my child’s age that goes to BS. Local privates, sure. BS–what’s that?
Anyway, best of luck to you and your child! [-O<